For Your Entertainment
by CeruleanSatine
Summary: OC x Rumpelstiltskin/Mr.Gold - Title was inspired by Adam Lambert's song "For Your Entertainment" which coincidentally fits perfectly in my opinion with Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold's character. Takes place BEFORE Emma arrives in Storybrooke. Belle will NOT be in this story either.
1. Chapter 1: Desires

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**** Like always, I originally planned this to be a one-shot, but decided to make it into a short story. I'll be surprised if it sees over 6 Chapters though.**

**Just needed to dabble in my recent obsession with ABC's Once Upon a Time's Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold character. (Made creepily delicious by the amazing actor Robert Carlyle. ;3)**

**Hope you enjoy this dabble of mine. Feel free to review! They are my motivation! Thank you! :D The song used in this chapter is "Save Me" by Remy Zero. Excellent music. GO LISTEN TO IT! Look it up on 4shared dot com!  
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><p><strong>Chapter 1 - "Desires"<strong>

_**Once Upon a Time...**_

It was a late Summer night when I had decided to sneak into the Dwarves' mines. It was the only time I could be certain not to be spotted. I knew _he_ was kept all alone in a secure prison cell deep within the mines, and that he went unwatched for a large portion of time during the nighttime hours. I had barely caught just a glimpse of him on the eve that he was being transported, after Cinderella had managed to trick him with a quill that had been charmed by the Blue Fairy. However, unlike the others, I didn't believe he had really been fooled...

No, something told me that he was _much _more clever than that and that somehow, all of this fit into his Master plan, whatever that was. Though at this very instant, I didn't really care about the politics of the matter. Right now the only thing I cared about was getting what I wanted. And what I wanted... was to _see_ him. But I knew that if anyone were to ever find out about my obsessive infatuation, particularly my boyfriend, I'd be taken so far, far away from this place that I'd _never_ get to see him...

In all truth, I couldn't exactly blame people if they thought I was crazy. Part of me thought I was crazy, too, as I made my way through the many torchlit passageways. As I drew nearer to him, I could literally _feel_ the sudden charge of electricity in the air. I stopped in my tracks. I couldn't imagine _how_ powerful and magical he was if his presence could cause such an intensity in the atmosphere..? No wonder they locked him up in here... No wonder he was so feared...

I swallowed hard, forcing my heartbeat to slow before I rounded the corner and found myself in a small clearing within the mines that lead to a cell... _his_ cell. There was movement beyond the thin, sharp, jagged bars and with a uncontrollable spasm of my heart, Rumpelstiltskin emerged from the depths of the shadows with a wide grin plastered on his face.

"_Well, hello_." I was greeted by his sing-song voice as he placed both his hands on the bars that confined him and gazed at me, still grinning broadly. Rumpelstiltskin's appearance and positive reaction to the sight of me had me taken aback; he was more magnificent than I could have even imagined... The way the torchlight glinted off of him gave his skin an iridescent quality that was quite marvelous. My heart spluttered in my chest, any control I had on it was now long gone as I stood rooted to the spot.

"Hi..." I breathed in a small, timid voice and I mentally kicked myself for the undertone of weakness. But thankfully, he either didn't notice, or chose not to acknowledge it and instead, he pressed himself against the bars, beckoning me closer with his index finger. As I approached him I couldn't help but notice how sharp his nails were...

"What's your name, dearie?" he crooned in his eerily gleeful voice.

I swallowed hard. "I-" I faltered as I came to a stop. "I know better than to tell you that."

"Oh? And why's that?" he answered, his unusually large reddish-gold eyes boring into mine.

"Because if I did, you'd have power over me..." I replied. To my surprise, Rumpelstiltskin burst into laughter. It was a high pitched chortle that sent chills dancing up my spine and caused my hair to stand on end. The sound shot adrenalin through my veins and a large part of me was enjoying the rush.

"Clever girl," he said and my cheeks flushed at his compliment. "But I hardly think that's fair. Why don't you come closer so I can get a better look at you?" he crooned again, causing my heart to flutter. Despite my apprehension, I closed the gap between us and stopped just six inches from the bars. "Don't believe I've had the pleasure of your company before," he said while looking me up and down as we both took in the details of one another. I was of a small stature, only five foot two, so the top of my head only came up to his chin, but the way he was slouching as he hung on the bars made it so that our faces were closer than that.

I couldn't help but be hyper aware of it and now that I was within less than a foot of him, I could truly see the iridescence of his greenish-gold tinted skin. My heart was hammering away so hard that I just couldn't control it. I watched as his gaze dropped to the left side of my chest. A wide grin spread across his face and at the same time his eyes lit up. All I could do was cringe ever so slightly, knowing very well that he could hear it.

"So tell me," he began in his happy voice. "why are you here visiting me at such odd hours of the night,_ hmm_?" he asked, but I didn't say anything. "Didn't want to be spotted consorting with the likes of-" he gasped sarcastically and clasped his hand over his mouth for dramatic effect. "-_Rumpelstiltskin?_"

"I wanted to see you," I breathed, my heart palpitating painfully the very moment the words had escaped my lips. But for the briefest of moments, a startled look crossed Rumpelstiltskin's face before he quickly recovered with a gleeful cackle that echoed off the cave walls and gave me goosebumps once again.

"Is that so?" he replied with a curious expression. "What ever for?" At first I didn't say anything and I actually began to tremble involuntarily, the feeling of cowardice beginning to strike. _What was I thinking coming here..? _I had to be _out of my mind._.. I took a step backward, torn between my desire and my fear. Rumpelstiltskin didn't say anything, but he watched my every move with a creepy smile on his face.

His reddish-brown eyes bored into mine again and an abrupt mental image of his lips against mine flashed through my minds eye, elevating my pulse further more. I blinked slowly and swallowed surreptitiously, anxiously trying to push the thought out of my head. I hadn't realized it, but my breathing was also elevated and _quite _audibly so. I cleared my throat awkwardly and shook my head. I wanted what I came here for... I took a deep breath before finally speaking. "I want to make a deal with you."

"A deal, _hmm_?" Rumpelstiltskin chirped, his eyes lighting up as he hung through the spiked bars as much as they'd permit. "What kind of deal?" he asked, sounding eager.

"I want a contract that ensures I get what I want," I said.

"Of course, my dear." He grinned broadly. "That is... assuming you have a scroll and quill hidden under those tight fitting robes of yours," he added with a grin. "I'm afraid I can only deal in _verbal _contracts for the time being. One of the downsides to being confined within the walls of these mines, you see," he explained casually.

I bit my lower lip in thought. "Fine."

He chortled again. "_Excellent_. Now tell me, what is it that you desire?" he asked. My cheeks immediately flushed and I had to avert my gaze. "_Oh, come now, dearie. Don't be shy!_ If you don't tell me, I can't help you." I paused for a long moment, trying to find the right choice of words. But no matter how I worded it in my head, it just didn't sound the way I wanted it to... "_Tic-toc, tic-toc!_ Time _is _of the essence..." he added, sounding vaguely impatient. I stepped forward a few paces so that my body was almost pressed right up against the bars. To my surprise, and delight, he didn't back away or move at all... And his face was just inches from mine...

"I fear that what I want is... is forbidden," I said quietly and hesitantly. As I spoke, Rumpelstiltskin closed his eyes for a moment and smiled a half-smile, his features looking soft for the first time.

"_Many_ things in life are forbidden," he replied as he looked at me again. "Is it not just a matter of _conquering_ such restrictive and primitive thoughts to seize what one _truly_ desires?" he asked while reaching between the bars and touching a strand of my hair. His fingers grazed my face ever so slightly and I shuttered on accident. A reaction that hadn't gone unnoticed. He halted in mid-motion with his hand still extended and I saw a shocked look of recognition flash across his face for an instant.

All of the sudden he grabbed me by my neck with both of his hands and pulled me flush against the spiked bars so that my face was actually between them. My heart spluttered in my chest at his abrupt physical contact, however I was very aware of the fact that he _had _managed not to hurt me at all... And had most likely done so by choice. I didn't want to make him mad, but my hands had still manged to instinctively find their way around his wrists... Though I didn't dare try to pry them off my neck. Instead, I just went completely slack and stared at him with wide questioning eyes...

Several seconds passed in silence, and I realized that his hands weren't on my throat in a threatening manner, so much as they were placed at my jawline in- with a start to my heart- an _intimate _manner. The adrenalin coursing through my veins at this point was beginning to make me light headed, causing me to wobble a little within his grasp.

"Why are you here?" he asked in a dangerously low tone of voice as our faces resided just an inch apart.

"I- I'm-" _Gulp. _I stuttered, and swallowed hard. "I don't know how say this without sounding..." I stopped short, not wanting to finish the sentence. Rumpelstiltskin stared at me for a long moment, watching me very closely. "I don't want to be faced with the humiliation of hearing you say no either..." I mumbled, closing my eyes and feeling utterly embarrassed.

"Well you'll never know if you don't ask," he replied with narrowed eyes and his hands still placed on my jawline. "And you're beginning to test my patience..."

"Okay, I just- what I want-" I faltered. "-what I want is..." I paused. "What I want is to _feel you_..." I blurted, blushing so immensely that I couldn't even look him in the eyes as I spoke. As a matter of fact, I was practically choking on my own pulse because of how hard it was thudding in my throat. The pervasive silence that filled the room was pure torture. All of the sudden he moved his hands from my jawline and slowly ran his fingers through my hair. My heart continued to beat hard in my chest as he brought several strands of my hair to his face and took a deep breath.

"You already have a boyfriend," he said not as a question, but as a statement. I felt a pang of guilt in my heart.

"We aren't happy together..." I replied, averting my gaze again.

"Well not everything in life is fun and games-" he said somewhat coldly, but I cut across him.

"I know, I don't expect it to be... But it's more than that. We aren't close. Not like we used to be... We haven't-" I faltered, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. "-we haven't been intimate in so long that I can't even remember the last time..." I said in a breathy voice. "He... he no longer desires me..."

After a moment, Rumpelstiltskin answered in a calm tone. "Do you know what you're asking for?" I finally gathered the courage to look into his eyes again.

"Yes," I breathed, my heart still thrumming hard in my chest and making it difficult to breathe properly.

He smirked. "Do you really? Do you _truly_ know the depth of what it would mean to commit to such a deal? Somehow I'm not so certain you could... _handle _it," he said with a chuckle.

"I want a contract that binds me to you intimately," I spoke unwaveringly, mustering up all the courage I possessed.. "I want to be your lover..." I said, blushing even more. "And I want you to be mine."

Rumpelstiltskin stared at me for a long moment, a curious and intrigued look on his face. "Interesting," he mused aloud.

"But _only_ under certain conditions that need to be clarified and agreed upon by the _both_ of us before hand," I said.

"And what conditions are those?" he asked with a raised brow.

I bit my lower lip, trying desperately not to blush again, but failing miserably. "I just want mutual assurance that- that you'll- that _we'll-_" I faltered with the correct choice of words. "-that we'll _fully_ please one another..." I said while wincing. I felt so embarrassed.

"_Mmm_, don't think we'll have to worry about that one," he crooned as he reached through the bars and brought his hands down to my hips before pulling our bodies as close together as the bars between us would allow. My heart fluttered madly and my pulse danced through my veins upon the sensation of his touch. I couldn't believe that this was really happening... It'd been _so_ long since I had felt desired... _So_ long since I had felt the touch of a man... "Tell me, dearie. What do I call you?"

I didn't say anything at first, and worried about what would happen if I told him my real name... But with the kind of deal I was already making, how much worse could things get? As far as I was concerned, I was already getting myself in deep.

"...Sarah," I breathed. Rumpelstiltskin grinned in response; a grin that was both creepy _and _intimidating.

"Such a beautiful name, Sarah. Do you know what it means?" he asked. I shook my head.

"It means _princess_," he crooned in a voice that sent chills down my spine.

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><p><em><strong>Present Day in a Quaint Little Town in Maine, Known as Storybrooke...<strong>_

It was a late Summer night and I had just gotten into yet _another_ dispute with my boyfriend which resulted in the usual; me questioning something and him ignoring me, I'd start to raise my voice and he'd blow up on me... We'd both yell at each other, it'd get us no where... I'd end up getting frustrated which would cause me to burst into tears... And thus forth I'd give up and take-off outside for a few hours to cool down. It was a pattern that never seemed to fail.

Without thinking, I slammed the door shut behind me and caught movement out of the corner of my eye; Mr. Gold was stepping out from one of the nearby apartments right then and our eyes locked for the briefest of moments. Feeling flustered, I quickly looked away before storming off down the sidewalk with tears brimming in my eyes. I pulled my ear buds out of my pocket, popped them in and hit "shuffle" on my MP3 player. A song with male vocals started up, and even though I was trying not to think about it, the fight was still so fresh in my mind that I just couldn't help it. Not to mention the song that popped on only succeeded in further stirring my raw emotions...

_'I feel my wings have broken in your hands  
>I feel the words unspoken inside<br>When they pull you under_

_And I would give you anything you want, and oh  
>You were all I wanted<br>And all my dreams are fallin' down_

_Crawlin' around, and 'round and 'round-' _I started to get into the song, feeling emotionally invested in the lyrics and began to belt out to the music.

_"_Somebody _saaave_ _me!_ Let your warm hands break right through me. Somebody _saaave_ _me! _I don't care how ya' do it, just _staaay_, _staaay_, _come on!_ I've been waiting for _you_..." There was a short instrumental break as I wandered down the sidewalk all alone, wishing desperately that my life and my relationship weren't the way they were, and wondering how I had managed to allow myself into this mess...

_'-I see the world has folded in your heart  
>I feel the waves crash down inside<br>And they pull me under_

_And I would give you anything you want, and oh  
>You were all I wanted<br>And all my dreams have fallen down-' _There was a short pause of vocals as the intensity built.

_'-Crawlin' around, and 'round and 'round_

_Somebody save me!_  
><em>Let your warm hands break right through me<em>  
><em>Somebody save me!<em>

_I don't care how ya' do it  
>Just stay, stay, come on!<br>I've been waiting for you!-' _There was another instrumental break as the intensity in the music continued to build. I blinked and several tears fell down my cheeks. I quickly wiped them away and continued to belt aloud again, wishing that somebody would save _me..._

_"_Crawlin' around, and 'round and 'round. Somebody _saaave_ _me! _Let your warm hands break right through me. Somebody _saaave_ _me!_ I don't care how ya' do it, just _staaay_ with me! I've made this whole world shine for you... Just _staaay, staaay, come on! _I'm still waiting for _you_..." I crooned in lament as the song came to an end.

"It's not very safe for such a beautiful young lady like yourself to be out wandering alone this late at night." With a horrible start to my heart, I jumped and spun around, yanking my ear buds out only to see that it was Mr. Gold.

"_Christ_, you scared the hell out of me..." I breathed while clutching at my chest, my pulse racing painfully fast.

Mr. Gold chuckled and smiled. "Sorry, dearie. I didn't mean to frighten you," he said apologetically as he took a step closer while leaning on his cane. "I hope it's not too forward of me, but I couldn't help overhear you and your boyfriend arguing," he spoke, his accent coming through very strongly.

I turned red with embarrassment. "I'm terribly sorry. I didn't realize we had gotten so loud..."

"Third argument this week?" he asked, and I cringed. My cheeks burned hot and I had to close my eyes for a second in order to keep from having a meltdown. I couldn't believe he was talking to me about my more than dysfunctional relationship... I felt like a loser. And the fact that he was keeping track of the fights..? _Ugh_...

"Yeah..." I mumbled in response while clearing my throat awkwardly. "I didn't know we were _that _loud."

Mr. Gold chuckled. "Well I _do _own all the apartment complexes, mind you. Therefore I happen to spend a fairly large portion of my time there. The walls tend to be, uh... well, quite thin to say the least. Things can't help but be overheard from time-to-time," he explained, but I didn't know what to say to that, so I didn't say anything at all. "Would you care to join me for a walk?" he asked, catching me off guard. I glanced at his cane and he followed my gaze and smiled, interpreting what I was thinking. "I happen to be very fond of taking late night strolls through Storybrooke. Helps keep the blood flowing. I'd welcome the change in company," he explained.

"Sure, why not?" I replied with a shrug while I moved to walk beside Mr. Gold. As we walked, I noticed him eying me and for some reason, it caused my heart to miss a beat.

"It's such a shame really. You'd think your boyfriend would know how to appreciate a fine woman when he sees one," he spoke, managing to sound casual, but my pulse sped up at his bold choice of words. I wanted to look at him and see his expression, but I was too shy. A long silence passed and the moment to respond was lost. A small sense of awkwardness stole over me and I couldn't stop wondering what he was thinking. "Mmm. Perhaps he's just too young to possess the kind of knowledge and experience it takes to fully _satisfy _a woman like yourself," he added.

"Y-you're making me blush," I managed to say, my cheeks growing hot. Mr. Gold chuckled and the sound made my heart flutter again. I couldn't remember the last time I had felt such attention and flattery... I finally gathered the courage to look at him and our eyes met for a brief moment before he glanced away, smiling.

"Am I?" he answered coyly, his smile turning into a smirk as we walked on.

"I'm not used to compliments..." I mumbled and it was no lie. I had rarely, if ever heard praise from my boyfriend's mouth. We had long since lost that spark to our relationship leaving it dull and distant.

"I can tell," Mr. Gold replied. "Pity, for you deserve to be treated like a princess in my opinion."

"Um," I murmured, trying to change the subject politely. "how long were you behind me before you said something?" I asked curiously.

"Well," he began with a chuckle. "let's just say now I understand why you aren't a famous singer."

I winced, my cheeks flushing in humiliation and my stomach turning into a knot. "_Oh God_," I groaned.

Mr. Gold laughed. "Relax, you're not _that_ bad."

"_Yeah right_, you're just saying that to be nice," I retorted while hanging my head. "this is so embarrassing..." I mumbled.

"If you know me at all, Miss Oakumura, and I'd like to think that you do after living here for as long as you have, then you know very well that I'm not exactly known for my... '_being nice'_," he said and I glanced at him, his brown eyes meeting my green-blue ones. The connection caused my heart to skip a beat and I swallowed nervously.

"Wait, so..? I'm just a rare exception..?" I asked, managing to maintain eye contact with him even though my heart threatened to burst forth from my chest at any moment.

Mr Gold chuckled. "It would appear that way, wouldn't it?" he replied as we continued to walk down the street. My pulse was racing. _Was he flirting with me?_ Or was I just mistaking genuine interest with attraction..? Either way, I couldn't stop the burning curiosity that was being stoked within me. The both of us walked in silence for a few minutes, my mind busy trying to decipher my own feelings before even attempting to decode Mr Gold's thoughts... "The song you were singing," he began out of nowhere, breaking my train of thought. I looked at him again. "you sounded so-"

"-bad?" I interjected.

He chuckled. "I was going to say _sad_."

"Oh," I replied while dropping my gaze and reflecting upon what it must've looked like, or in his case, _sounded_ like as I walked down the sidewalk emotionally singing to music that he couldn't hear... My cheeks burned hot again as I remembered that I had been crying... Had he heard me sobbing, too? All of the sudden he came to an abrupt halt and I looked around, realizing that we were standing in front of his store, beneath the gold and blue sign that read, _Mr. Gold Pawnbroker & Antiquities Dealer._ I blinked, a bit dumbfounded at having not realized where we were sooner.

Mr. Gold leaned on his cane and stared at me, his brown eyes boring into my green-blue ones. "I believe you have a decision to make, my dear," he spoke, his accent noticeably strong. "My plans consist of a late night tonight so I'm about to brew up a pot of coffee for myself. If you'd like to join me, the offer is on the table. Otherwise if I may," he said while lowering his voice and taking a step toward me, closing the gap between us. My heart fluttered. "If you decide to go home, I suggest you get a good night's sleep. Talk things through with your boyfriend in the morning. You'll have a clearer head."

I bit my lower lip and the both of us stared at one other for a long moment. I hesitated, unsure of what to do... Truthfully I didn't want to go back home yet... I didn't want to go back to that feeling of hopeless desolation... that feeling of loneliness when you weren't even alone... What kind of company to keep was that?

"If you don't mind, I think I'd prefer to join you for a cup of coffee," I said timidly.

"Of course," Mr. Gold replied with a bright smile as he unlocked the door to his shop and stepped inside with me right behind him.

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><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I had fun writing it for myself, lol. xD Feel free to write a review or ask any questions you may have. I will get back to you. :)<strong>

**~Satine~**


	2. Chapter 2: Low

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry it took me a bit longer to write/post this Chapter than I meant it to... I've been struggling with my style of writing as of late. Been feeling a bit discouraged because I can't seem to express my thoughts with the proper diction. Regardless I still wanted to continue posting this story before my motivation and inspiration wains.  
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**Songs used in this Chapter are; "Low" BY: Cracker, and "Bad" BY: U2. Try 4shared dot com if you'd like to look up/listen to the music while reading. :3  
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**DISCLAIMER: Once Upon a Time belongs to ABC (Disney). This story is for NON-profit, entertainment purposes ONLY.  
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><p><strong>Chapter 2 - "Low"<strong>

_**Storybrooke, Maine**_

_Ka-jingle-jingle._

The little bell at the top of the door on Mr. Gold's pawn shop rang as I stepped over the threshold and into the store behind him. I glanced at the sign on the door that read _CLOSED_ and felt myself begin to tremble a little bit. I guess I was nervous at the thought of being all alone with Mr. Gold... For as long as I could remember I had always tried to avoid him, save for paying the rent each month, or of course, the occasional run-in. For some reason he had always made knots form in the pit of my stomach and up until fairly recently, I had always found the sensation to be... overwhelming to say the least. But now that I analyzed the feeling a little closer, I realized that there might be more to it than just that.

I followed Mr. Gold as he flipped on lights and led me through his shop which somehow managed to feel both cluttered and spacious at the same time. I tried to hide my trembling by tensing up all the muscles in my body and distracting myself by glancing around at all the strange things that lined the counters, shelves and walls. There were so many objects that I could hardly process everything as we passed by all of it; resting on one of the counters there was an ornate blue crystal ball, a tarnished genie lamp and a bronze pocket watch.

On top of the old decorative cash register there were three small brass monkeys that represented Hear no evil, Speak no evil and See no evil, and lining the shelves and walls were a gramophone, a golden piece chess set, a taxidermied peacock and penguin, an old circular hand clock _and- _with a small smile that tugged at the corner of my lips, I spotted a Mickey and Minnie Mouse doll. I also noticed that there was a wooden stand that sat in front of the counter and held a thick book that was laying open, but unfortunately I didn't get a chance to see the page as we walked by it.

Upon looking up, there were many objects hanging on the ceiling above me; a bicycle, a small row boat that was hanging upside down, and several elaborate bird cages of various sizes. Directly behind the counter with the register was a wall of paintings, and lining the shelves was a candelabra, a pair of creepy looking dolls, an old sewing machine and a classic ship-in-a-bottle. I glanced within a glass counter while passing, and saw a fine China tea set in one and displayed in the other-

"_Ooh, _hunting knives," I blurted while coming to an abrupt halt and pausing to glance at them.

Mr. Gold smiled. "You have a thing for knives, hmm?" he asked with a soft chuckle as he walked back over to me, the fabric of his finely tailored suit brushing against my arm as he stopped _right _beside me. I nodded in response, my heart fluttering at how close he was to me, and my breath hitching in my throat. I exhaled through my nose, the sound coming out louder than I meant it to. Mr. Gold eyed me out of the corner of his eye and I swore I saw a smirk form on his face.

I swallowed hard, forcing my heartbeat to steady. "I dunno' why, but I just find them fascinating for some reason. I'm pretty much that way with all blades," I said with a small shrug. Which was one of the many odd, but true things about me.

"I'll have to keep that in mind then," he answered while turning his head to look at me. I glanced at him, our eyes meeting again. "Shall we?" he said with a smile that caused my heart to flutter, and a nod toward the backroom.

"_Oh, right_. The coffee..." I murmured, my cheeks flushing ever so slightly.

Mr. Gold's eyes lingered on me for a fraction of a second longer than would be considered "normal" before he turned around and lead me through a beige print curtain that separated his shop from the backroom. I was a little shocked to see that the back of his place was just as cluttered, if not worse than the front... I watched as he maneuvered through the room and hit a button on his coffee maker. I was surprised that he could even keep track of the thing amongst all the chaos. He cleared his workbench off and pulled a chair out for me to sit down.

"Thank you," I said while taking a seat and glancing at a clock on the wall that read, 2:14AM. I sat in silence while the coffee percolated and Mr. Gold continued to clear things from the tables. A large part of me assumed that he was only doing it because of me and hadn't exactly expected my company. "You don't have to do that," I said, feeling a bit awkward.

He glanced at me with a lopsided grin, his long mousy brown hair falling across one of his dark brown eyes. "It's been long overdue anyways," he said while jerking his head to shake the hair out of his face.

"Well don't let me be the one to prompt a sudden change in lifestyle," I said with a timid smile. Mr. Gold returned the smile, but didn't say anything in response. The coffee finished brewing and I watched as he went to pour two cups.

"How do you take your coffee, Miss Oakumura?" he asked, his brown eyes boring into mine.

"Um, sugar... and creamer if you have any?" I asked in a small voice, trying to figure out what it was about his presence that made me feel so shy..?

"Of course," Mr. Gold replied while opening a mini-fridge that I hadn't even realized the coffee maker was resting on until now. I watched as he prepared my cup and handed it to me. "Careful, it's scalding."

"Thanks," I mumbled while carefully taking it from him and cradling the hot mug between my hands. He smiled with a small nod of acknowledgment as he stirred sugar into his cup. "By the way, you can call me Tia..." I said while blowing on my coffee in an attempt to cool it down faster

"As you wish, Tia," Mr. Gold replied politely while reaching into the fridge again and pulling something out that I couldn't quite see. The way it sounded when he said my name with his accent made my pulse speed up. "Now I would ask if you were of legal drinking age, but due to one of the many perks in _owning_ Storybrooke, I'm well aware of the fact that you recently had your twenty-forth birthday," he said while turning around to face me. I smiled. Of course he knew when my birthday was... how could I be surprised? Mr. Gold was _always_ very well informed when it came down to all the citizens in Storybrooke. "Would you care for a little, dearie?" he offered while holding up a bottle of Bailey's Irish Creme and shaking it enticingly.

"Sure," I replied, still smiling as I held my mug out to him and he poured a little of the sweet liquor into both of our cups before stirring it in. The contents swirled around until they were well blended. A few moments passed in silence and I took a deep breath, exhaling absentmindedly before taking a few sips from my cup.

"Excuse me if I'm being too forward, but I just couldn't help wonder," Mr. Gold began out of nowhere, and I glanced at him as he, too, took a few sips of his coffee. "if you really are so unhappy with your relationship, why not just end it?" he asked simply, managing to sound casual, but with an expression on his face that looked a bit too curious. I fidgeted in place, abruptly dropping my gaze to floor. I didn't know how to answer that exactly...

"Well, you see it-it's not that simple..." I stuttered while scratching at the back of my head absentmindedly. I didn't want to go into a lengthy description with Mr. Gold about my faulty relationship with my boyfriend... Especially not when I had so much trouble making sense of it all on my own, let alone laying out all the scattered pieces for Mr. Gold to scrutinize over and dissect apart. Right now, I just wanted to get away from the mess that was my so called "love-life".

"Mm," Mr. Gold acknowledged, his eyes peering at me intently. "It never is, is it?" he spoke while leaning against the workbench and resting his cane on top of it.

"_Chyeah_," I laugh-scoffed in response and took another sip of my now alcoholic coffee as he continued to eye me curiously. I managed to gather the courage to look at him again and our eyes locked for a moment, causing my heart to palpitate, but my shyness had me glancing away all too soon. "You know," I began tentatively, my eyes level with the floor and the feeling of blood flooding my cheeks, making them burn hot. I cleared my throat awkwardly. "I've always tried to avoid you..."

"Is that so?" Mr. Gold said with a soft chuckle. "And why's that, dearie?" he asked in a mock tone of innocence, laced with his heavy accent that always made my heart speed up. I closed my eyes and tried to steady my breathing while trying to process my emotions within the short amount of time I had to reply. I could _feel_ Mr. Gold's eyes on me as he waited for my answer. I swallowed hard and looked at him; sure enough, he was staring directly at me, his gaze unwavering. I managed to hold it even though my heart was thudding viciously in my throat.

"Well, Mr. Gold," I began, projecting my voice to be more confident than I really felt. "I don't know if you've realized it by now, but you just so happen to be a very intimidating man."

Mr. Gold smiled coolly and took a few gulps of coffee before replying completely at his leisure. "Oh yes, I'm very well aware of that, my dear, and quite frankly I _like_ it that way. But the real question is..." he paused and suddenly leaned down toward me where I sat in the chair with baited breath. "are _you_ intimidated by me, Miss Oakumura?"

I smiled nervously. "_Tia,_" I corrected. "And I'll be honest with you; I'd be lying if I said I wasn't..." I replied calmly.

Mr. Gold grinned broadly, barring his two golden teeth, and furthering his intimidation factor. "But yet, somehow that still didn't stop you from taking up my offer _Tia_..." he said, emphasizing my name and causing goosebumps to form on the surface of my skin. He leaned back, and my stomach knotted up at his words. He was right... Despite the fact that everyone in the entire town was intimidated by him, myself included, it still wasn't enough to put me off like it was for everyone else. Why was that..? I didn't know what to say in response, so I said nothing. Mr. Gold chuckled softly. "Part of me didn't expect you to be that desperate for company."

"I'm not sure who that's meant to insult, me or you..." I retorted as I took a few long gulps from my mug. "But I figured a cup of coffee was the _least _you could do for sneaking up on me like that," I added with a smirk and a false bravado.

Mr. Gold grinned at me. "I had no idea that all it takes to lure a pretty girl into the back of a secluded shop is a little caffeine."

I laughed, the sound surprising me. I hadn't laughed in what felt like forever... "Mind you I'm not like most girls."

Mr. Gold peered down his nose at me. "I can see that."

"And so you know, I wouldn't take just _anyone_ up on their offer..." I mumbled as I finished the last of my coffee and handed him the empty mug. "I'm not _that _stupid," I added as he took the cup from me, his fingertips grazing my palm in the process and sending a small jolt of electricity through my body. I blinked in surprise and stared at him wondering if he had done it on purpose or not.

"I know. You're much more clever than that," Mr. Gold said as he held my gaze for a long moment before he finally broke it by pushing away from the desk and walking over to the coffee maker. "Would you care for another cup?" he asked casually with his back to me.

"Um, no thanks," I replied as I got to my feet, walked around the desk and over to where he stood. I didn't think it would be wise to drink more caffeine at this hour.

Mr Gold. glanced over his shoulder at me with a raised brow. "Leaving so soon?" he asked as I tentatively came to a stop a few feet away from him.

"I think, yeah... maybe," I muttered indecisively, dropping my gaze as Mr. Gold stared at me intently. A fleeting idea had crossed my mind in that second. An idea that was likely deem-able as highly inappropriate for someone in my circumstances... I didn't know _what _was causing me to feel the way I felt, but what I _did_ know, was that I knew I wanted to see more of Mr. Gold... A humored expression flickered across my face as I thought of the double entendre behind the thought; I wanted to see more of Mr. Gold both in frequency, as well as-

"What are you thinking about, my dear?" Mr. Gold asked, interrupting my thoughts and forcing me to refocus my attention. I blinked in surprise, feeling eternally grateful at this moment that he couldn't read my mind. "That look on your face tells me that you were somewhere far, far away." His accent made me blush and there was a brief moment of silence before I responded.

"I was thinking..." I began apprehensively. "Sometime m-maybe we could..." I faltered as I bit my lower lip so hard that I almost drew blood. My insides were screaming in protest for fear of humiliation as the sole outcome to what I was about to say. "Er- well like, maybe I could... meet... with... you... somewhere..?" I said through gritted teeth, doing everything I could to fight the strong urge to cringe in utter embarrassment as I fumbled over the words. I had no clue how to properly express my desire to spend more time with him without sounding pathetic.

"Are you asking me out on a date, dearie?" Mr. Gold asked coyly while flashing me a grin.

"_No_," I blurted, accidentally emphasizing the word more than I meant to. "I mean it's just- I just-" I paused, my cheeks burning hot. "I guess that sounded..." I blinked, trying to calm both my racing heart _and_ thoughts. Several seconds that felt like an eternity passed in what felt like a tense silence. "I-I probably shouldn't be here," I said, suddenly feeling guilty as I stood there rooted to the spot knowing that I should probably leave and go back home, but not really wanting to. Mr. Gold continued to watch me without saying anything as if he knew the internal struggle in which I was having. "But... I don't want to go home either."

As I stood beside the man before me, I knew that I was definitely attracted him and that there really was no denying that. I wondered if _that_ was the reason why I had subconsciously tried so hard to avoid him..? That deep down, somehow I knew that if I were to ever get involved with him, I wouldn't be able to resist the temptation to ever break free _of_ him... Sure, Mr. Gold was about twenty years older than my boyfriend was, but it didn't make much of a difference to me.

In fact, the maturity and wisdom that Mr. Gold possessed over the years only made me all the _more_ attracted to him. I was tired of having to deal with the immature behavior and all the childish antics that my boyfriend put me through on a daily basis. I wanted to be taken care _of_ for a change, and not always forced to be the care-taker. I spent too much of my time being a mother to my boyfriend that it had long ago killed any bit of romance we used to have in our relationship. "M-maybe I will stay for a little while longer..." I said finally. "Do you have anything stronger than Bailey's?"

Mr. Gold grinned at me, barring his golden teeth again as he set his empty cup down next to mine and crossed the room, beckoning for me to follow. My curiosity got the best of me and so I did, surprised to see that he really wasn't limping very much. Especially considering that his cane was still resting on top of the workbench. Part of me wondered if he put on a facade regarding his handicap, or if he at least played it up to be worse than it really was...

With a jingling of keys, I watched as Mr. Gold unlocked a liquor cabinet that was set into the wall and opened the glass doors. My jaw almost dropped when I saw the extensive selection of alcohol at his- and now _my_ fingertips. "Pick your poison," he said. I glanced at him and then at the cabinet, my eyes lighting up as I moved closer so that I could read the labels. It took me a second to realize just _how_ close I was standing next to him. A green bottle caught my attention and his gaze followed mine. "_Ah_, though I'm afraid the Absinthe is off-limits for tonight."

"_Aww_," I pouted, but Mr. Gold merely looked amused at my behavior.

"I've business that needs to be tended to in the morning and would very much regret to find myself waking with a nasty headache. Besides," he added. "I don't think your boyfriend would appreciate it if he awoke to find his girlfriend hungover either."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right..." I mumbled, not really wanting to think about my boyfriend or his thoughts on the matter. Or _any_ matter for that...

"Perhaps next time," Mr. Gold replied, and my eyes lit up a little. So there _would _be a next time then..? I smiled to myself, internally happy at the thought that I would in fact be seeing more of Mr. Gold one way or another. I tried not to let the glee show on my face as I scanned the labels on the bottles for something else to drink, but I wasn't quite sure if I was succeeding or not.

"Hmm, " I hummed as I ran my finger along the bottles. "I don't know what to pick, what do recommend?" I asked while glancing at Mr. Gold. He reached out, his hand grazing my shoulder in the process as he grabbed a wide, flat, oval bottle that contained amber colored liquor from the shelf. "What's that?" I asked curiously.

"Macadamia nut liquor," he replied while he uncorked the bottle that read Tradervicks, and poured two jiggers. I watched him re-cork it, place it back on the shelf and pull out a bottle of golden Jose Cuervo tequila. I made a face at the sight of it. "I take it by the look on your face that you don't like tequila very much?"

I shook my head in response. "Not really... I don't care for the taste."

Mr. Gold smiled. "Well then you're in for a treat," he said as he mixed the tequila with the macadamia nut liquor, and added a few squirts of lime juice before giving it a good stir. I looked at him skeptically as he handed me one of the shot-glasses and I took it from him before we clinked them together. _Clink! _"To new beginnings," he toasted.

"To new beginnings," I repeated before we both downed the alcohol in one swift motion. Afterwards I exhaled slowly and steadily through my mouth to diminish some of the after-burn, and took a small breath. "_Wow,_" I said aloud before I could help myself. The macadamia nut flavor was strong and sweet enough to cut through the tartness of the tequila. It was quite amazing how the flavors complimented each other, and the little bit of sour lime helped bind the two alcohols together magnificently.

"_Heh_," Mr. Gold chuckled. "I knew someone like you would be able to appreciate the exquisite flavor." He took the empty shot-glass from me and set both my glass and his on the shelf before he turned around to face me again.

I chuckled softly. "I think you've persuaded me to change my opinion on tequila," I said with a small smile, wondering to myself what else he might be able to _persuade _me to change my opinion on, as well...

"You just needed someone to show you a different perspective on it, that's all," Mr. Gold replied. All of the sudden, the clock on the wall started to chime, causing us both to look away from one another.

"_Shit_," I cursed upon seeing the time. "it's already three in the morning?" I sighed loudly, beginning to feel stressed out. Without really thinking, I crossed the room over to a beat up armchair that was sitting in the corner of Mr. Gold's shop and collapsed into it, burying my face in my hands. Mr. Gold didn't say anything, but I could hear the wooden floorboards creak as he walked across them. A few moments later, music abruptly filled the room and I looked up as the sound of guitars, drums and a cymbal started up with a song that had a steady beat and somehow seemed familiar...

"Perhaps some music to soothe the soul?" Mr. Gold said as he approached the chair I was slumped in. Suddenly I felt the alcohol hit me and it made me feel a bit lightheaded.

_'Sometimes I wanna' take you down  
>Sometime I wanna' getchu' low<br>I'll brush your hair back from your eyes  
>Take you down, let the river flow-' <em>as the male vocalist sang, I climbed out of the chair and went to perch myself on the armrest before playfully patting the cushion, gesturing to Mr. Gold for him to sit down beside me. The song suddenly kicked up in intensity right then and the alcohol was making my body hum with the tune.

_'-Sometimes I go to walk the street  
>Behind the green sheet of glass<br>A million miles below their feet  
>A million miles, a million miles-' <em>With a quirky smirk on Mr. Gold's face that suggested he knew something I didn't, his brown eyes locked with mine until he sat down in the chair beside me.

_'-I'll be with you girl  
>Like being low<br>Hey, hey, hey  
>Like being stoned-' <em>the male vocalist repeated the lyrics 'til the song slowed up, dropping out the bass.

_'-A million Poppies gonna' make me sleep-' _there was a fancy little guitar lick that made the moment feel important somehow, and the lyrics leaped out at me in almost a haunting way...

_'-But just one Rose that knows your name-' _There was another fancy guitar riff as my blue-green eyes met Mr. Gold's dark mahogany ones, causing my heart to speed up drastically.

_'-The fruit is rusting on the vine-' _Another electrical guitar riff. I licked my lips nervously, our eyes still locked.

_'-The fruit is calling from the trees-' _sang the male vocalist before all the bass and drums returned, and I finally looked away.

_'-Hey, don't chu' wanna' go down  
>Like some junkie cosmonaut?<br>A million miles below their feet  
>A million miles, a million miles<em>

_I'll be with you girl  
>Like being low<br>Hey, hey, hey  
>Like being stoned-' <em>the verse was repeated before going into along instrumental break and the song jammed out with guitar and drums. Without even realizing it, I had been nodding my head along to the beat. I had to admit, it was a very catchy song and I was rather glad to gain a bit of insight, however small, on what kind of music Mr. Gold listened to...

_'-A blue-blue is the sun  
>A brown-brown is the sky<br>A green-green of her eyes-' _There was a warbling guitar riff that intensified the atmosphere.

_'-A million miles, a million miles-' _Another warble as all the instruments built up again._  
><em>

_'-Hey, don't you wanna' go down  
>Like some disgraced cosmonaut?<br>A million miles below their feet  
>A million miles, a million miles<em>

_I'll be with you girl  
>Like being low<br>Hey, hey, hey  
>Like being stoned-' <em>the male vocalist repeated the verse over and over.

_'-I'll be with you girl  
>Like being low<br>Hey, hey, hey  
>Like being<br>Stone.'_

The song came to an end with a stretched out guitar riff. "Speaking of being stoned..." I joked, and Mr. Gold laughed, the sound surprising me. I looked at him with a broad grin on my face and he just shook his head looking highly amused. Another song started up, this one with no vocals. Just guitar, flute and string.

"Actually..." Mr. Gold said as he stood up and crossed the room, snagging his cane from the workbench along the way before he disappeared into a small closet. I could hear him rummaging around in there, but didn't have the slightest idea what he was looking for until he emerged with an old book in his hands. I furrowed my brow as he walked back over to me while using his cane, and my mind was torn between wondering how serious his leg problem was, and what he would possibly need a book for right now..?

"What're you-?" I faltered as he took a seat beside me, resting his cane against the side of the chair and opening the book, which wasn't a book at all. It was hollowed out and held what appeared to be a decorative pewter pipe that looked rather old. "_Holy shit! Is that a-?" _I breathed with an incredulous look on my face.

"-pipe? Why yes," Mr. Gold finished the sentence for me. My eyes shot up to his face.

"Wait-? _You..._ smoke?" I asked skeptically.

"Shouldn't really need much of an explanation," he teased while gesturing toward his bad leg. I merely nodded in response.

"So, uhh..." I began apprehensively. "ya' wanna' smoke some?" I asked while wiggling my brows at him. Mr. Gold laughed at me, but didn't say anything as he pulled a small glass vile from the hollowed out book and opened it. I was hit with a wave of robust greenery, the scent of the stuff so strong that I could smell it the very instant it had been exposed to the air. "_Whoa_, that stuff sure smells potent," I commented as I watched him fill the pewter bowl that I just now realized had some sort of an animal etched onto it, though I couldn't quite make it out...

"Best stuff in all of Storybrooke," Mr Gold said, and I couldn't tell if he was joking or not.

"Where do you get it?" I asked.

"Why, it's grown, of course," he replied.

"I know that, but by who?" I continued to pry without meaning to.

"Well aren't you the curious one?" he said with a raised brow.

"I know, I know. Sometimes my search for knowledge can be insatiable," I teased.

"Just remember; curiosity killed the cat." he replied, and with that, I knew that Mr. Gold wasn't going to answer my question. I watched in silence as he screwed the cap back on the pewter pipe and handed it to me. I took it from him and stared at it as I turned it over in my hands. I saw that the animal carved into the pipe was actually an insect; a dragonfly to be specific. Something that I found kind of odd because coincidentally I was always fascinated by dragonflies while growing up and had never really grown out of it. "Need a lighter?" Mr. Gold asked, interrupting my thoughts.

"No, I have one," I replied, a little dazed as I reached for a lighter that I had hanging on a clip attached to my belt loop. I caught his eyes lingering on it, causing me to smile. "Thank God for lighter leashes," I joked before I put the pipe to my lips, lit it and inhaled. The flavor was intense, yet pleasant and as I held my breath, I could feel a wave of euphoria in my pituitary glands. I passed the pipe to Mr. Gold and burst out coughing as he took it from me, our fingers barely brushing in the process.

At that moment, I felt a sense of calm. Something I hadn't felt in years. For once I could just forget about everything that was bothering me and enjoy feeling good for a change. It was about time I did something for myself. A lopsided grin spread across my face as both the alcohol and herbs caused tingly rushes to wash over my body from head-to-toe.

I lazily closed my eyes and focused on doing nothing but relaxing. We sat in silence for a while until the song with the guitar, flute and strings came to an end. I could feel the late hour of the night beginning to catch up with me and suddenly felt exhausted. Another soft song started up with guitars and tambourine as I laid curled up in a ball on the armrest with my eyes closed. The music was beautiful and helped to soothe me further more.

* * *

><p><em>'If you twist and<br>Turn away  
>If you tear yourself<br>In two again  
><em>

_If I could  
>Yes I would<br>If I could, I would  
>Let it go<br>_

_Surrender  
>Dislocate-' the male vocalist sang before the song went into a short instrumental segment<em>. _Unbeknownst to Tia, Mr. Gold sat there silently watching her form with an unreadable expression on his face. He couldn't explain what it was about the petite girl before him that stirred such long forgotten emotions within him. But memories of a time before Storybrooke flooded his senses, nearly overwhelming him._

_'-If I could throw this__  
>Lifeless lifeline to the wind<br>Leave this heart of clay  
><em>

_See you walk, walk away  
>Into the night and through the rain<br>Into the half-light and through the flame_

_If I could through myself  
>Set your spirit free<br>I'd lead your heart away  
><em>

_See you break, break away  
>Into the light<br>And to the day-' There was another instrumental break as the male vocalist crooned emotionally and Mr Gold continued to watch Tia as she drifted off to sleep right in front of him. His eyes became unfocused as his thoughts also drifted off and he recalled upon a past-life when he used to go by a much different name...  
><em>

_'-To let it go!  
>And so to fade away!<em>

_To let it go!  
>And so fade away!<em>

_I'm wide awake!  
>I'm wide awake!<br>Wide awake!-' the male vocalist shouted with an emotional depth.  
><em>

_'-I'm not sleeping  
>Oh, no, no, no-' More guitar riffs joined in, intensifying the song as another instrumental break took place and Mr. Gold was completely consumed in his thoughts.<em>

'_-If you should ask  
>Then maybe they'd<br>Tell you what I would say  
><em>

_True colors fly  
>In blue and black<br>Bruised silken sky  
><em>

_And burning flag  
>Colors crash<br>Collide in blood shot eyes-' A short instrumental segment with more guitar._

_'-If I could, you know I would  
>If I could, I would<br>Let it go_

_This desperation  
>Dislocation<br>Separation_

_Condemnation  
>Revelation<br>In temptation-' the conviction in the male vocalist's voice grew louder and more powerful.  
><em>

_Isolation!  
>Desolation!<br>Let it go!_

_And so fade away!  
>To let it go, ohh!<br>_

_And so fade away!  
>To let it go, ohh!<em>

_And so to fade away!  
>I'm wide awake!<em>

_I'm wide awake!  
>Wide awake!-'<em>

_"I'm not sleeping__... Oh, no, no, no..." Mr. Gold sang quietly under his breath as the song came to an end and he watched Tia sleep peacefully, the lyrics paralleling the reality of his circumstances. He was the only one in Storybrooke, except for Regina, who even had the slightest inkling who they really were... In a sense, the two of them were the only two people who were truly **awake**. _

* * *

><p><em><strong>To be continued... :) Hope you enjoyed this Chapter. Feel free to review if you'd like! Thank you, dearies! ;)<strong>_

**~Satine~**


	3. Chapter 3: Troll Bridge

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry it took me a lot longer to post this chapter than I meant it to. :/ Not sure why, but my motivation ran out for a while there and it took me until just recently to pick it back up and see it through to completion.  
><strong>

**Song used in this chapter: "I'm With You" BY: Avril Lavigne. Go to 4shared dot com to look up/listen to the song if you'd like to add to the "feel" of the story. :)  
><strong>

**DISCLAIMER: Disney ABC's Once Upon a Time belongs to the respective owners. My stories are for NON-profit, entertainment purposes ONLY and I do NOT own the characters (even though I would love to, but who wouldn't?).  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3 - "T(r)oll Bridge"<strong>

_**The Dwarves' Mines**_

"Do we have a deal then?" I breathed, my pulse thudding through my veins as I spoke.

The spiked bars were the only thing that separated us and with great apprehension, I placed my hands against Rumpelstiltskin's chest, over the spot where his heart should reside. I was startled when I couldn't find the beat of it through the fabric of his clothing. I swallowed involuntarily while staring into his gold rimmed burgundy eyes and sensed that he didn't fully trust me yet... And I suppose I couldn't really blame him. He hardly knew me, as I hardly knew him.

"Yes, dearie, you have my word," he replied with a grin, barring his teeth in a way that made him look sinister in the torchlight.

"Then you have my word, as well," I said with a small nod. I saw his eyes light up, and had I not been making the kind of deal that I was, I would have greatly regretted having uttered those final words. But instead of feeling fear, I felt a sense of elation and a kind of freedom for the first time in my entire existence. Though the fact that I now knew he didn't have a heartbeat did make me a bit leery of him...

Before I could give it much thought, however, Rumpelstiltskin retracted his hands from my hips, dragging his nails along the fabric of my blouse as he took a step back, causing my arms to slip from his chest. I grabbed at the bars and pouted at him while he watched me with a playful glint in his eyes.

"Come back," I crooned.

"Why don't _you_ come _here_, dearie?" he replied while making a come hither motion with his index finger.

"But-? But that's not fair. You know I can't," I pouted.

Rumpelstiltskin folded his arms over his chest and chortled. "Are you sure?"

I stared at him for a long moment. "Maybe if-" I faltered with my hands on either side of the spiked bars as I glanced around at the way the cell was set up. "...If I could find a way to climb through these..."

He didn't say a word as he placed the tips of his fingers together and stood there continuing to watch me with a very curious expression on his face. I took a closer look at the cell and could see that the bottom row of bars were placed too close together for me to possibly squeeze between, but the top row, however-

"_Wait_, you see that opening at the top? I think I might be able to fit through it, but..." I paused to look at him again. "You're going to have to help me." I said while grabbing the bars and hoisting myself up off the ground.

In a swift and agile motion, Rumpelstiltskin gracefully leaped up onto the ledge at the bottom of the bars and cackled in amusement as I climbed to the top of the bars, and stuck my head and torso through the opening. Hanging from the bars with one hand, he reached up while I pulled my upper body through the small space. The next thing I knew, he was cupping my ass in his palm, putting a barrier between me and the sharp bars, _as well _as copping a feel... But I didn't mind. In fact, I was grateful. I'd rather have his hand there any day over those painful spikes...

He hopped down from the thin ledge he was standing on and used both his hands to help pull me the rest of the way through. I reached out and wrapped one of my arms around his neck as I pulled my other leg through the bars. In the process, I ended up losing my balance and fell into him. To my surprise, he steadied me with ease, and it made me suspect that he was much stronger than he looked...

For a long moment we just stared into each others eyes._ I could hardly even believe it had worked_... For once I was very glad for being built as tiny as I was, otherwise it would have been an impossible feat. Finally being so damn small had come in handy for something other than getting picked on.

I made a conscious effort to place both my hands on Rumpelstiltskin's chest once more, my breathing becoming shallow as his red and gold eyes pierced my blue-green ones. It felt strange not having the bars between us anymore.

He ran his hands along the length of my body, stopping at my waist again. "You're very limber," he observed, causing me to blush.

"Thanks," I breathed as my heart pounded away like mad in my chest. "Honestly I can't believe that actually worked..." I dropped my gaze, suddenly feeling shy. Now that I was _this_ close to him with absolutely nothing separating us, I found that his intimidation factor had increased by nearly ten fold.

"Well my little Princess, I must admit," he began, his gaze unwavering. "I can't believe you'd _actually_ allow yourself to be locked in a cell with me," he replied while carefully watching my reaction.

"What do you mean?" I asked, trying to keep my facial expressions neutral, but failing as my eyes immediately shot up to meet his intense gaze again.

"You know very well what I mean," he began with an evil smirk on his face as he traced his thumb along my jawline and I swallowed hard. "I could do_ anything_ I want to you in here..." he continued. "And there'd be _no one _to help you... _No one_ to save you..."

"I'm not afraid of you," I blurted, managing to muster up a brave voice that was nothing but a facade. In reality, I _was_ afraid of him... But that still didn't stop me from being overly curious about him, and having the overriding desire to know more about him, no matter the cost.

Rumpelstiltskin laughed. "I can see that your boyfriend must've _really _messed you up badly if you're _voluntarily_ opting to give yourself to me." He chortled, the sound causing goosebumps to form on the surface of my skin as it echoed off the cave walls.

With his hand still placed at my jawline, he leaned into me, abruptly capturing my lips with his in a forceful kiss. My eyes snapped shut involuntarily and I wasn't even aware how long we had been standing there kissing for by the time he finally pulled away.

I opened my eyes back up and staggered where I stood, a small smile pulling at the corner of my lips. I actually felt _dizzy _from the kiss and as I looked into Rumpelstiltskin's gold rimmed burgundy eyes, I thought that perhaps just maybe he, too, had felt what I had.

"Wow, that was- _that was amazing_," I whispered in shock. I instantly knew that I wanted to- no, that I _needed_ to feel that sensation again.

This time without even thinking, I leaned into him with zero apprehension and pressed my mouth to his while running my hands through his wavy hair. I felt him kiss me back, and I couldn't help but smile to myself in a satisfactory manner.

* * *

><p><strong>Storybrooke, Maine<strong>

I almost had a heart attack when I awoke the next morning only to find myself still curled up in the armchair in the back of Mr. Gold's pawnshop.

"_SHIT!" _I cursed loudly as I sprung up from the chair and flung a blanket that Mr. Gold must've covered me up with at some point in the middle of the night so forcefully that it knocked over several things on his workbench. I didn't have the time to check and see that nothing had been ruined. All I could do was hope that if anything were damaged that it wasn't anything of too much value...

I darted past the beige print curtain and hurried through the front shop which appeared to be empty. I made my way out the front door, causing the bell to jingle behind me. I had no clue where Mr. Gold was, but I prayed that when he found the mess I had left behind, he wouldn't chastise me too badly for it.

At the moment, however, I was more concerned about what my boyfriend was going to say to me when I got home. I was fairly certain that he would be very unhappy with me for not coming back and deciding to stay out all night. He'd more than likely assume that I had been cheating on him or out partying so I could, "shop around" as he liked to put it.

The thought caused me to sigh aloud. I was torn between the fact that both he and I knew damn well that I had never been the partying type, nor was I the cheating type. However, I felt the smallest pang of guilt at the thought of just _how much _I had found myself enjoying Mr. Gold's company last night... Something I thought I'd never think about the man in a million years, yet here I was, already wondering when the next time I'd see him would be...

All of the sudden I felt a drop of water hit me in the face and I looked up into the sky just as it began to rain. I started to walk at a brisk pace while I made my way toward my apartment. Dread filled me at the thought of having to face my boyfriend. Was I so wrong for wanting my relationship to function "normally"? And the fact that my boyfriend didn't seem to want the same thing as me, did that make me such a bad person for being attracted to someone else? If we shared the same common goal than I probably wouldn't be in the boat I was in now.

My relationship was everything_ but _functional. After all, I had spent more years being forced to resume a "motherly" role more than I was able to be a proper girlfriend. I spent so many years trying to make things work between us, that I had lost track of all the time wasted, and it was like it was finally catching up with me. Like an arduous trek that had taken so much out of me along the way that the memories of each day, week and year all seemed to meld together into one long never ending journey of disappointment.

By the time I had finally stepped foot on the doorstep of my apartment, the rain had turned into a downpour and I was nearly soaked. All I could think about was getting dried off and slipping into something comfortable. I turned the doorknob absentmindedly and pushed the door open before stepping over the threshold of my apartment. I faltered where I stood. Something was wrong. Why was the door unlocked? I still had the key to the apartment in my hand as I quickly looked around the room half expecting to be ambushed by a robber.

But it was quiet and seemingly empty as I carefully closed the door behind me and went to check the rest of the small apartment for any sign of an intruder. By the time I reached the bedroom, I knew the place was empty and as I glanced at the bed, I saw a note resting on my pillow. I walked over and grabbed it with a furrowed brow, my pulse suddenly racing for some reason.

"_Went to the club. I wont be back tonight so don't wait up.  
><em>

_P.S Have to work late tomorrow night so I won't be home 'til well after 9PM.  
>Don't forget to make me a plate of dinner and save it for me!<em>

_Luv ya' babe,  
>XOXO<br>Trent"_

"_Ugh_," I groaned, instantly realizing that my boyfriend didn't even care that I had stayed out all night. In fact, it seemed like he had been _happy_ that I'd ran off in tears and that he didn't have to deal with me. I felt a blow to my heart and couldn't stop the adrenalin that rushed through my veins, making me feel sick to my stomach.

So that meant that he was the one who had left the door unlocked whenever he left last night. _How typical of him._ I never knew if he was just too lazy to care, or if he was simply ridiculously forgetful, but either way it meant that he had no sense of priorities whatsoever. What if we had gotten robbed? Lucky we didn't have a whole lot to take, otherwise he would've been the sole cause of our downfall right then and there.

I felt tears prickling my eyes as I imagined just how easy it must've been for him to write up that note real quick and go out partying carefree at the_ Ace of Clubs _without me. I had _only_ been asking him for_ months_, more like_ over a year_ now, to go out dancing and drinking with him.

He had always told me that he was "_too busy"_ at work and he never had the energy to want to go out Clubbing. But clearly that was just a lie. Had he even came home _at all_ last night? Something told me that if he had, he would've trashed the note, or written up a new one before leaving for work this morning.

I clenched my fist at the thought of the possibility of him meeting some chick at the _Ace of Clubs_ and going home with her... My stomach dropped out from beneath me. What if that was the reason why he said he wasn't going be home until late tonight? I suddenly felt violently ill and couldn't stop my body from trembling at the thought.

I crumpled up the note and hurled it into the trash bin across the room, feeling waves of anger take hold of me. I dug my nails into my palms as my body hummed with rage, and I felt a strong urge to get up and smash everything within my vicinity.

I wanted to feel and see the destruction of something _other_ than my own heart... Now I understood why people cut themselves. Having your heart hurt so badly and having no way to make it better, no way to physically see the damage and fix it can drive any person mad. Sometimes cutting and seeing, and feeling a different kind of pain was the _only_ way to numb the unreachable heartache.

An image of Mr. Gold's face flashed through my mind's eye and my heart spasmed. Suddenly I didn't feel all that guilty anymore for the thoughts that I had last night. I shoved the apartment key I still had in my hand into my pants pocket when I felt something crinkle to the touch.

"Huh? What's this?" I mumbled with a furrowed brow as I pulled out a neatly folded, albeit very damp piece of paper. I unfolded it gently, taking care not to tear the thing and saw that it was another note. My pulse sped up as I read it.

_"I found that I quite enjoyed your company last night and would love to see you again.  
>Meet me tonight at the toll bridge at a quarter to eleven."<em>

I had to read the note over again three times before the words sunk in. It had to have been from Mr. Gold, but the only way I could think of it ending up in my pocket was if he had _put_ it there. I felt a fluttering sensation in the pit of my stomach as I imagined what it must've looked like when he slipped the note in my pocket while I slept on the armchair in the back room of his shop.

I smiled to myself. He would've had to have gotten _real _up close and personal in order to do something like that... The fact that he wanted to see me again so soon, and _tonight_ for that matter, was enough to make me want to forget all about my boyfriend troubles. Though, part of me couldn't help but feel anxious to get down to the bottom of what was _really_ going on with Trent...

I spent the rest of the gloomy afternoon cleaning up the apartment, doing laundry and getting ready to go out later tonight. I felt the need to keep myself distracted at all times otherwise my nerves would get the best of me and I found it hard to function properly. I didn't know what to expect when my boyfriend got home and I had no clue how I was going to slip out to meet Mr. Gold... I told myself that I would figure something out before the time arose, but it wasn't long before the setting sun had snuck up on me.

The front door opened and in walked Trent, moderately wet. The storm had been coming in periodic waves all day long. He closed the door behind him and stripped off his wet clothing, leaving them in the middle of the floor for me to pick up as he went into the bedroom. I sighed and piled his wet clothes in the laundry hamper as he changed into something dry before walking into the kitchen.

"Where's my dinner?" he complained with his head in the fridge.

"I didn't make anything," I confessed. Having not had much of an appetite all day due to my nerves, I had managed to space it.

Trent slammed the fridge and looked at me. "_What the hell, Tia?_"

I shrugged defensively. "Hey, I haven't eaten either. It's not like I made dinner for myself and purposefully didn't make anything for you."

"_I can't believe you_," he said, sounding disgusted. I scoffed loudly, unable to help myself. I couldn't believe he had the gull to say that to me.

"_Me? What about you?_" I snapped, causing Trent to blink in surprise, but he recovered quickly.

"You're acting childish," he said in a condescending tone.

I clenched my fist in anger. "I'm not the one acting childish here. _You are_," I said through gritted teeth. "_You're_ the one who's acting like a careless little boy who expects to be taken care of and cleaned up after 24/7! _Like I don't have a life of my own!" _I shouted. Trent opened his mouth to say something, but I cut across him before he could. "_I think I'd rather follow around a Goddamn monkey and pick up feces than deal with you another day!"_

"_THEN WHY DON'T YOU LEAVE?_" he bellowed so loudly that it actually caused me to flinch.

"_FINE!_" I screamed back with tears of rage in my eyes. And without another look at him, I snagged my grey hoodie from the coat hook, wrenched open the front door and bolted out into the night.

I ran down the street in the pouring rain for as long as my legs could carry me until I ran out of breath and was forced to slow up. The sound of the rain pattered loudly as it hit the roof tops, and pounded the cement sidewalks and asphalt streets. I was soaked within a matter of minutes, but I didn't care. Part of me had wondered why I hadn't gone out in the rain more often.

I shoved my hands into the pocket of my hoodie and retrieved my MP3 player as I veered off the beaten path and made my way through the woods, toward the Toll Bridge. I popped my ear buds in and hit "Shuffle". A guitar, violin and piano started up, building toward the general 'feel' of the song before a female vocalist began to sing.

_'I'm standin' on a bridge  
>I'm waitin' in the dark<br>I thought that you'd be here... by now_

_There's nothin' but the rain_  
><em>No footsteps on the ground<em>  
><em>I'm listening but there's no sound-'<em> There was a short pause of vocals for dramatic effect and as I drew closer to the bridge, I scoff-laughed at the parallel in the lyrics with the reality of my circumstance.

_'-Isn't anyone tryin' to find me?  
>Won't somebody come take me home?-' <em>I glanced at a square white sign that was in black lettering, all except the "r" which was written in graffiti red; "TrOLL BRIDGE". I would have gotten a chuckle out of it had I been in the proper mood. Instead I meandered onto the bridge as the intensity in the instruments came back.

_'-It's a damn cold night  
>Tryin' to figure out this life<br>Won't you... take me by the hand  
>Take me somewhere new<em>

_I don't know who you are but I...  
>I'm with you...<br>I'm with you, mmm-mmm-" _the female vocalist crooned as several tears fell down my cheek, mixing with the rain and becoming indistinguishable from the other.

_"_I'm lookin' for a place. I'm searchin' for a face. Is anybody here... I know? 'Cause nothing's goin' right, and everything's a mess, and no one likes to be alone. Isn't anyone tryin' to find me? Won't somebody come take me home?" I sang aloud as the intensity in the instruments came back again.

_'-It's a damn cold night  
>Tryin' to figure out this life<br>Won't you... take me by the hand  
>Take me somewhere new<em>

_I don't know who you are but I...  
>I'm with you...<br>I'm with you, yeah-ee-yeah-'_

_"Oh! _Why is everything so confusing? Maybe I'm just out of my mind? _Yeah-ee-yeah, yeah-ee-yeah! Yeah-ee-yeah, yeah-ee-yeah, yeah! Oh-oh!-' _The intensity in the music lessened once again_. "_It's a damn cold night. Tryin' to figure out this life. Won't you... take me by the hand, take me somewhere new. I don't know who you are but I... I'm with _yoooou!_ I'm with _yoooou!"_

_'-Take me by the hand  
>Take me somewhere new<br>Don't know who you are but I...  
>I'm with yoooou!<br>I'm with yoooou!-'_

_"_Take me by the hand, take me somewhere new. I don't know who you are but I... I'm with you, _oh. _I'm with you. I'm with you," I sang aloud when Mr. Gold suddenly stepped out from the shadows the moment the song came to an end, causing my heart to falter. I could see that his hair and face were wet from the rain, as well as his finely tailored suit, however, I was noticeably more soaked than he was.

"I was beginning to think you weren't going to show up," I said while pulling out my ear buds and flashing him a small smile that didn't quite reach my eyes. My pulse was racing through my veins as I fought between the tension I still felt after the argument I had had with my boyfriend, and the mingled excitement I felt at being in Mr. Gold's presence once again.

He smiled back, though I could see it in his brown eyes that he knew I wasn't quite "normal". Something I found rather amazing considering in the many years I had been dating my boyfriend, Trent had always feigned ignorance on behalf of recognizing when something was wrong with me.

"Forgive me, but I felt the need to linger in the trees until you had finished singing before deciding to show myself," Mr. Gold said as he brushed a lock of wet hair out of his eyes.

I blushed. "W-why would you do that? My voice is terrible, you said so yourself."

"First of all, my dear, I never said that you were terrible. And second, I do believe I may have to retract my former statement," he said while leaning against his cane, managing to look casual while I stood there looking out of place as far as I was concerned. "There is a sort of... _haunting_ quality to your voice that I can't quite put my finger on. Every time I hear you sing, I notice something new about it that I find rather pleasing to the ear."

My heart was racing in my chest, and I hadn't realized it until I could feel it beating in my throat. I felt like I wanted to bounce off the walls and scream out how happy I was to be complimented by Mr. Gold of all people, but I felt that it would be utterly foolish to do such a thing in front of him. Instead, I bit my lower lip and managed to remain calm on the surface even though that was far from how I felt underneath.

"Though I couldn't help but notice on the two occasions I've heard you sing, they were both sad songs," Mr. Gold pointed out. I didn't know what to say to that so I remained silent, the only sound coming from the rain. "Come," he began after a moment, while turning and beckoning for me to follow. "Let us get out of the rain."

Without even bothering to ask where we were going, I followed Mr. Gold through the woods for several yards until we reached a clearing where a lone black car was parked. I could only assume it was his, and as he led me to the passenger side, my assumptions were confirmed. Like a gentleman and much unlike my boyfriend, he opened the car door for me. I flashed him a polite smile as I climbed into the seat and he shut the door once I was situated. I watched as he walked around to the other side before getting into the vehicle. I hadn't realized I had been staring at him until he started the ignition and paused to look at me.

"What?" he asked in his thick Scottish accent and with a quizzical look on his face. I blinked, feeling embarrassed.

"Nothing," I murmured, quickly looking away. Mr. Gold smirked, but didn't say anything as he put the car in gear and pulled out onto the gravel road. "Where are we going?" I asked, more to break the silence than anything else.

"My place," he said. "If that's okay with you?" he added without looking away from the road. I glanced at him, but couldn't read his expression in the light, or lack there of.

I shrugged casually. "Sure," I replied as I turned to look out the window at the rain that began to come down harder than it had all day. Though I couldn't stop thinking about what we were going to do once we got to his place, and why he wanted to take me there... My heart sped up at the thought.

I looked ahead of me at the road once more and could barely see a thing through all the downpour. It made me nervous, so I glanced at Mr. Gold again to see how he was handling it. I was surprised to see that he didn't look anywhere near as stressed as I felt. He was just concentrating on driving, his brow furrowed in perhaps the slightest bit.

I couldn't explain it, but the way he looked right then made my stomach knot up in a way that took my breath away. I felt an embarrassing urge to do things _to_ _and with_ him that would be deemed highly inappropriate and frowned upon in many people's eyes... I worried my bottom lip between my teeth as things stirred deep inside me that I fought to keep hidden.

Mr. Gold grinned broadly, catching me off guard. "Why do you keep looking at me like that, dearie?" My heart spasmed painfully in my chest as I quickly looked away, though I realized that only made me appear all the more guilty.

"Like what?" I asked, playing innocent, but when he didn't reply, I knew he wasn't going to humor me. I swallowed hard. "_Alright fine_," I said, sighing in defeat. "I-I find you attractive, okay? Now I'm blushing, are you happy?" I said, sounding defensive. Even in the shitty lighting, I could still see the broad smirk that spread across his face and I couldn't stop the inevitability of my cheeks burning hot with embarrassment.

_**To be continued...**_

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><p><strong>Please review! I would LOVE to hear your thoughts, questions and opinions. :) They are my motivation. Hope you liked this chapter!<strong>

~Satine~


	4. Chapter 4: Whisper

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry for taking as long as I have to get this Chapter up. Hope you enjoy it. PLEASE REVIEW! Thank you! ^_^  
><strong>

**Song used, "Whisper" BY: ColdPlay. Go to 4shared dot com in a separate tab to look up the music and listen to it while reading this chapter to add to the "feel" of the story. :)**

**DISCLAIMER: ****Once Upon a Time belongs to ABC (Disney). This story is for NON-profit, entertainment purposes ONLY.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 4 - "Whisper"<strong>

**Storybrooke, Maine**

"I wouldn't go as far as to use the term _'happy'_," Mr Gold said tersely. "but it _is_ a start," he added while sparing a glance in my direction. I could see the barest hint of a smirk playing at the corner of his lips, and as I continued to stare at him, my heart hammered away in my chest like mad. Much to my chagrin, my cheeks were still visibly pink.

"I bet you're getting a kick out of this, aren't you?" I asked while the rain pelted the windshield and Mr. Gold turned the black Cadillac down another road, his smirk widening.

"I must admit, I do enjoy seeing you squirm," he replied in a somewhat smug tone without looking at me. I felt a fleeting urge to playfully smack him in the arm, but decided better of it seeing as he _was_ driving in what could be deemed as dangerous weather conditions.

"I find it rather intriguing how you _always_ seem to be so well dressed," I pointed out as I glanced at his attire. "Even in a rainstorm," I added.

"You can't blame a man for having a good sense of style," he replied casually.

I laughed. "I s'pose you're right. It _is_ a nice change from all the boys these days who run around with their pants hanging so low you can see their underwear. I swear they're just asking to trip and fall. I mean, what kind of so called 'fashion' is that? _I can't stand it_," I complained. Mr. Gold chuckled at me, and I looked at him, blushing a little. It wasn't even a few moments later when we pulled into a driveway and he put the vehicle in park before shutting off the engine.

"Welcome to monster's lair," he announced before then getting out of the car. I blinked, a little caught off guard at his choice of words before I followed suit and climbed out into the rainy night.

When I looked up at the house, I froze; it was _easily_ the biggest house on the entire block, but what had taken me aback wasn't the size, so much as it was the salmon and rainforest green paint job. With a quizzical grin on my face, the second thing to catch my attention besides the color, was the porch on the second floor, as well as the two bay windows that went all the way from the first floor to the attic. The color aside, it was practically my _dream house_.

All of the sudden there was a bright flash of light that illuminated the sky, gaining my attention. I glanced at Mr. Gold from where he stood on his porch, leaning against his shiny black cane like he always did. He watched me with a curious expression on his face as I walked up the wooden stairs. _KA-BOOM! _Thunder crashed loudly in the sky overhead, causing me to jump while I waited for him to unlock the front door. I noticed the gorgeous multicolored stained glass window that was encased within the double doors as he pushed one of them open.

"Your _lair_ is gorgeous," I commented with a smirk as he led me over the threshold just as the rain began to come down in thick sheets. I saw that the walls on the inside of the house were that same salmon color, causing me to purse my lips without realizing I was doing it.

"I noticed you pause upon first inspection," Mr. Gold said while taking off his wet jacket and hanging it on a coat rack that stood in the corner before then removing his black driving gloves.

"Oh... yeah, I uh, I was a bit thrown off by the color," I admitted, deciding that sticking with the truth was better than making something up.

He chuckled in response. "Yes, I suppose this particular shade of pink doesn't exactly scream '_me_', does it?" I laughed, a little louder than I meant to, but Mr. Gold merely leaned against his cane and smirked at me. "Here, allow me to take your sweater and hang it up to dry," he offered with a polite smile and an outstretched hand.

I paused at first and stared at his hand for a moment. With my cheeks still flushed, I unzipped my soaked hoodie and tentatively handed it to him. His warm brown eyes lingered on my freshly exposed torso and the light blue spaghetti strap camisole I wore before his gaze locked with mine. The shirt managed to reveal quite a fair bit of my cleavage and I suddenly felt rather self conscious. My heart palpitated in my chest as he took the hoodie from me and hung it up beside his coat.

"Should I take off my shoes, too, or..?" I asked, trying my best to ignore my thudding pulse and be a proper guest.

"If you'd like," Mr. Gold replied with another polite smile that almost felt awkward. "Feel free to make yourself at home."

"Your house is so huge," I said as I took off my shoes and left them on the maroon rug beside the door before glancing around; his place vaguely reminded me of his Pawn Shop in that it seemed to be cluttered with many things that didn't exactly belong... An old rocking horse, paintings and picture frames leaning against the doorways, and a record player, just to name a few. I wondered if perhaps he kept things here to sort through and clean up before they were to end up on the shelves in his shop..? "Must get kinda' lonely living by yourself," I said without thinking.

"_Mm_," Mr. Gold acknowledged with a stiff nod. I suddenly wanted to kick myself for saying that. I'm sure the last thing he needed was to be reminded of the feeling of loneliness.

"Though I s'pose even a person who's _surrounded _by people can still feel all alone..." I added ruefully, knowing from experience how that truly felt. And it was something that didn't go unnoticed by Mr. Gold, who eyed me curiously. Though I could tell he was guarding his emotions carefully, and I couldn't blame him. There was another flash of lightning that lit up the room followed by thunder that rumbled across the sky. I clutched at my shoulders, shivering as a cold draft filled the room and I began to rub my upper arms in an attempt to warm up. Now that I didn't have my hoodie on, I realized just _how _chilly it was.

"Cold?" Mr. Gold asked with a raised brow. I nodded in response. "Well then, perhaps a cup of tea might help?" he suggested.

"Sure," I mumbled in response and allowed him to lead me into his living room where one of the gorgeous bay windows resided. I took a seat on a pink armchair; seeing the color made me smile. Mr. Gold left the room and I took the opportunity to glance around at everything.

There was a hutch standing in the corner and there were several candelabra's placed around both the living room and dining room. An oval mirror was imbedded in the fireplace mantel that was just to my right, but the fireplace didn't look like it had seen much use as of lately. In fact, the more I looked around, I realized that most of the house seemed like it didn't see much use in general. Other than as a storage place or temporary crash pad perhaps. I briefly wondered if Mr. Gold even ever slept at all, when he suddenly emerged from the kitchen.

"Do you have any music?" I asked curiously.

"Of course," he replied politely as he crossed the room using his cane and turned on a stereo system.

Part of me was relieved because after having seen the old record player lying around, I was afraid that that might be the only source of music he had... And had that been the case, I would have felt even more out of place than the random stuff he kept lying around his house. I watched as he put on some music; it started up with a violin, guitar, cymbal and drums. He then went back into the kitchen again, so I sat there quietly waiting for him to return and allowed myself to tune out of reality and into the song.

_'A whisper, a whisper  
>A whisper, a whisper<em>

_A whisper, a whisper  
>A whisper, a whisper-' <em>sang a male vocalist before the song went into a short instrumental segment and I continued to wait in silence for Mr. Gold to return.

_'-I hear the sound of a ticking of clocks  
>Remember your face<br>Who remembers you when you are gone?-' _sang the male vocalist. Then another short instrumental segment with violin, guitar, drums and cymbal took place. The lyrics leaped out at me in a haunting kind of way that gave me goosebumps completely unrelated to the temperature.

_'-I hear the sound of the ticking of clocks  
>Come back and look for me<br>Look for me when I am lost_

_Just another whisper, a whisper  
>A whisper, a whisper<em>

_Just another whisper, a whisper  
>A whisper, a whisper-' <em>Lightning flashed just as there was another short instrumental solo with violin, guitars, drums, cymbal and an extra guitar lick that sent chills down my spine. _KA-BOOM!_ Thunder crashed so loudly that the entire house rumbled with it, and I felt a scary sense of Deja Vu... almost like I _knew _Mr. Gold from somewhere else... I had never given the idea of past lives a serious thought... until now.

_'-Niiight turns to day  
>And I still have these questions<br>Briiidges will break  
>Should I go forwards or backwards?<br>And niiight turns to day  
>And I still get no answers<br>_

_Just another whisper, a whisper  
>A whisper, a whisper<em>

_Just another whisper, a whisper  
>A whisper, a whisper-'<em> Right then Mr. Gold returned with a tea tray in hand and set it down on the coffee table in front of me before pouring two cups. I watched as he made mine _exactly_ the way I had asked for my coffee the other night. Which meant he had actually made a point to remember. A small smile formed on my face in response.

_'-I hear the sound of a ticking of clocks  
>Remember your face<br>Who remembers you when you are lost?  
>I hear the sound of the ticking of clocks<br>Come back and look for me  
>Look for me when I am lost<em>

_Just another whisper, a whisper  
>A whisper, a whisper<em>

_Just another whisper, a whisper  
>A whisper, a whisper.' <em>Mr. Gold took a seat in the armchair across from me with his cup in hand as another instrumental segment took place in the song. The male vocalist began to hum to the rhythm. The music and the lyrics, combined with the strong sense of Deja Vu that I was still experiencing, paralleled one another in such an intense way that I could practically _feel_ my body vibrating with energy. The lightning outside was beginning to flash more erratically, no longer synching up with the thunder. It was turning into an electrical storm.

I felt a vague sensation that I, myself was the one who was 'lost' and in need of someone to 'find' me, just like the lyrics spoke of... All I knew, was that I felt a strong connection with Mr. Gold that I couldn't logically explain. Violin, guitar, drums, cymbal, and an extra guitar riff played on over and over as a xylophone joined in 'til the song slowly faded to an end. The wind began to pick up outside as rain pelted the bay window. I shook my head, forcing myself out of my daze and reached for my cup, taking a gulp of the scalding tea without thinking.

"_Ow, fuck! That's hot!" _I shouted involuntarily as I choked down the liquid that was already in my mouth and quickly set the cup back down on the saucer that resided on the table. Mr. Gold chuckled at me.

"_My, my, _ you have such a foul mouth for such a beautiful lass. I believe you could make even a sailor blush, dearie," he said in his Scottish accent that I was coming to love so much.

I turned red and laughed nervously. "I hope that doesn't put you off..." I mumbled, almost too low for him to hear. I wasn't exactly the ideal lady-like subject that I supposed I should be. I just never fit into the mold of your 'average female'. I was more rough around the edges and blunt...

"On the contrary, my dear," Mr. Gold replied while casually blowing on his cup of tea before taking a sip, not breaking eye contact with me even once in the process. My pulse was jumping in my veins and I couldn't deny that I was pleased to hear a few curse words weren't going to scare him away. But I literally had to force myself _not_ to look away, which was more difficult than you'd think.

'_God, he's just so intimidating_,' I thought to myself as I curled my toes in my socks as a means to vent some of the tremendous nervous energy I currently possessed. Another draft filled the room right then, causing me to shiver again and I used the opportunity to finally break eye contact with him. I grabbed my cup and this time, I cradled it in my hands, using the emanating warmth to my advantage.

Mr. Gold took a few slow gulps from his cup while I blew on the tea I was holding before I took a tiny sip. "So I returned from my morning appointment and found the back of my shop in a bit of dismay," he said, watching me carefully. I winced, remembering how I had awoke abruptly this morning and rushed off in such a panic.

"I'm sorry. I hope I didn't damage anything?" I asked apologetically as a long, low rumble of thunder vibrated overhead.

He smirked in response. "Thankfully, nothing that can't be repaired."

A small sigh of relief escaped my lips. "I was just so horrified that I had managed to pass out like that..." I added, feeling embarrassed.

"I didn't mind," Mr. Gold said while taking another sip of tea and continuing to stare at me in an intimidating manner. I wasn't sure if he was even aware that that was what he was projecting, but if I had to guess, I was fairly certain he knew.

"It was very unlike me. I've just been so worn out lately..." I trailed off as I, too, took a few sips of tea, trying to push out any thoughts of my boyfriend Trent and the never-ending stress that he seemed to bring me. Though the fact that Mr. Gold had said he didn't mind my company wouldn't stop blaring in my head and I had to refrain from smiling.

"Well then," Mr. Gold began. "glad that you felt at ease enough in my presence to be able to let your guard down and catch up on your beauty sleep."

"I suppose you're not used to many people letting their guard down around you?" I asked, wondering if I was the first person to do so with him or not..?

"What do you think?" he said, while flashing me a toothy grin and barring his golden teeth in a way that made him look like a predator. It made my heart palpitate.

"You make it sound like you're the big, bad wolf or something," I teased, but Mr. Gold looked at me in a way I had never seen before.

"Maybe I am," he said in a low voice. I knew he was just joking, but I couldn't help get the feeling that he was using it as a metaphor to hide behind. I knew Mr. Gold was no saint... I wasn't stupid. I knew he was _faaar_ from that, if anything, but I just didn't care. I was no angel myself, and I had always been a fairly odd person that had always been drawn to the dark side of things. Though, a small part of me felt that he was not a bad person at heart. Just very guarded against a world full of pain, suffering and betrayal.

"Then that would make me what? Little Red Riding Hood?" I joked. Mr. Gold chuckled again.

"Not quite," he said quietly while resting one of his hands on his cane. I looked at him quizzically and shook my head in amusement.

"Funny." Right then, several lightning strikes illuminated the sky outside, as well as the entire living room, and this time I braced myself for the blast of thunder that followed. "I love thunder storms," I said, my eyes lighting up.

"I can tell," he replied with what I perceived to be a flirtatious grin. A few minutes went by in silence as we sat there sipping the rest of our tea, the only sound coming from the wind and rain that pelted the windows. Before I knew it, I was starting to zone out while staring at the bay window and watching the water run down it in a hypnotizing manner. "Was it difficult for you to slip away from your... boyfriend?" Mr. Gold's voice broke my trance and my eyes shot over to his face for a moment, his question catching me off guard as the memory of my recent encounter with Trent replayed in my mind's eye.

"Actually... we kinda' got into an argument and it turned into a shouting match so I left," I said, beginning to fidget with a thick strand of my damp hair.

"I'm sorry to hear that, dearie. I hope it didn't have anything to do with you staying at my shop last night," he replied, sounding earnest. Something that was a bit shocking to witness coming from him of all people.

"No," I said before I really even thought it over. It wasn't like Trent cared that I had been gone all night long. The only thing he cared about was the fact that I didn't have dinner on the table for him when he got home from work. Mr. Gold watched me carefully. "It didn't even phase him that I had been gone all night," I said before I could help myself.

"Yes, well, sadly Trent has _always_ been the type to overlook many things... Especially when it comes to those closest to him," he replied.

"_Exactly,_" I said in frustration, a knot forming in my stomach as I felt an internal war over my feelings; part of me felt relieved to have someone who understood my pain, but the other part of me felt somewhat guilty... What if my assumptions about Trent cheating on me were just that? Assumptions? I didn't have any solid evidence or proof to go off... Just a hunch. I anxiously bit my bottom lip lost in my thoughts.

"Anything wrong?" Mr. Gold asked, shaking me from my revere. I looked at him and saw that he was studying my reaction very carefully.

"How-?" I paused for a long moment. "How do you know that something's wrong with me?" I asked, looking dumbstruck. "I-I mean... in _all_ the years I've been with Trent-" I faltered, continuing to chew on my bottom lip nervously. "...I just don't see _how_ you could recognize such a complex thing regarding me when you _hardly even know me_." Mr. Gold laughed, the sound startling me a little.

"I guess I just happen to be v_ery _observant," he said, his brown eyes meeting my green-blue ones, causing my heart to flutter and goosebumps to form on my skin. "Are you still cold?" he asked. My cheeks turned pink because I knew that my skin reaction wasn't due to being cold.

"Yeah, a little bit..." I replied, unsure of why he was asking me that. He smirked in response, and with a coy look on his face, he put his cup down on the table.

"Well then," he began while suddenly getting to his feet, my heart still continuing to beat away like mad. "I'm sure there's... _something_ I can do to warm you up," he said as he went to sit _right_ beside me. In the process, I felt his shoulder graze mine just barely and it caused my heart to splutter out of control. The fabric of his suit was softer against my skin than I had imagined. "Perhaps this will help warm you up. Scoot forward," he said.

I blinked. "Why? What're you gonna' do?" I blurted.

"You'll see," he replied simply, but at first I didn't move. "What's the matter? You don't trust me?" he asked with a mischievous grin.

"To be fair, _more than half the town doesn't trust you_," I said, being playful yet possessing an aspect of seriousness at the same time. However, I made a point to flash him a grin before apprehensively scooting to the edge of the armchair. He moved directly behind me and placed both his hands on either side of my shoulders. The sensation of his warm touch on my delicate skin caused my breath to hitch in my throat and I froze, my heart hammering away in my chest as he suddenly began to massage my sore, aching muscles. It was near instantaneous that I felt myself melting into him, despite the fact that I was very nervous even.

"_Mmmm_," I heard the sound of a female's voice moan and it took me a second to realize that it was _me_. My cheeks burned hot with embarrassment and I was very glad that Mr. Gold couldn't see my face, nor I his. However, it didn't take a genius to know that if I had heard the sound escape my lips, then surely he did, too.

"I can tell by all this tension in your body that your boyfriend has never given you a _proper _massage before," he observed while continuing to rub my shoulders and neck, further turning me into putty in his hands.

"_That feels so good_..." I murmured, without thinking, my heart fluttering like mad. For a short instant, I allowed myself to imagine what it would be like to say that under more _private_ circumstances... That was, until I felt Mr Gold shift his weight right then and it broke my train of thought. I suddenly realized he was leaning down so that his face was level with mine. _Thump-thump, thump-thump_. My heart palpitated painfully.

"You know, there are... _other_ ways that I can make you feel good..." he said in a quiet voice with his hands still placed on my shoulders as he tilted his head to the side to look into my eyes. My breathing instantly became shallow and I swallowed hard, the only thing I could manage to do at that moment. His face was _just two inches_ from mine and I could feel the warmth of his breath on my skin... He was _so _close... I was frozen like a deer in headlights even though what I desperately _wanted _to do, was turn my head and close the rest of the tiny gap between our faces... But I was a coward. I was already feeling guilt beginning to creep in at having even thought about such things.

"I-I don't know if I could-" I stammered, my cheeks burning hot under his silent scrutiny. I didn't want to finish the sentence. Just to hear it out loud felt like committing a horrible taboo...

Mr. Gold was still very, very close to my face, but I finally got up the courage to turn my head just enough to glance into his brown eyes. A twisted grin spread across his face and he slowly leaned toward me. My heart missed a beat and for a second, I thought he was going to kiss me. But instead he stopped just _centimeters_ from my mouth.

"You know what I think?" he whispered, the movement of his lips so close that they almost brushed against mine in the process. My heart continued to pound away in heavy beats that made my body want to tremble from head-to-toe. _Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump. _I was almost certain he could hear it.

"W-what do you think?" I breathed, barely even audible as our eyes remained locked.

"I think you're lying," he whispered, still grinning evilly. I swallowed hard and quickly leaned forward, away from him and reached for my cup of tea, gulping down the rest of its contents as a means of distraction. One that was short lived. I set the empty cup down and leaned back. "I can hear your heartbeat," he whispered near my ear, sending chills dancing down my spine. All of the sudden I felt him tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, causing me to shutter and my breath to hitch in my throat in response.

"Don't know if you've noticed, but you seem to have that effect on me," I breathed, sparing a shy glance at him.

"_Oh_, _I've noticed_," Mr. Gold replied so quickly that it took me aback. I leaned to side and turned, my eyes shooting up to his face. "My dear, do you honestly think I _couldn't _notice?" he said in his thick Scottish brogue. "_Every time _you have to avert your eyes from mine..? _Every time _your breathing goes uneven when I-" he leaned toward me right then, stopping just an inch away from my face. "-get near you..." I swallowed hard in response. "And _every time _your heart rate climbs-" he grinned. "-like it is now."

"I-I didn't realize I was so obvious..." I mumbled, dropping my gaze and suddenly feeling embarrassed. I wonder if anyone else could have noticed such things..? Had I been reacting that way forever and just never realized..? Or was it not until just recently when I had finally allowed myself to be in his presence longer than was deemed necessary..?

Mr. Gold chuckled softly, getting my attention again. "Luckily for you, I just happen to have a rather keen eye for those sort of things." An audible sigh of relief escaped my lips and I couldn't help but notice the humored expression on his face. "Though I could see how a beauty like yourself might want to keep such a thing hidden from public eye..." he said in what I suspected was supposed to be at least a half joking manner, but I couldn't help detect a hint of another, less light-hearted emotion hidden within an undertone.

I looked at him and scoff-laughed. "_Me? _Honestly I was more concerned about maintaining your reputation than mine."

Mr. Gold licked his lips slowly, as if taking his time to choose exactly how to word what he wanted to say. "And yet, somehow I highly doubt it would do you any good if your boyfriend were to catch wind of... _this_."

"And what exactly _is_ this?" I asked playfully, yet careful and deliberate with my wording. I wanted to know what he meant by his.

Mr. Gold's eyes flashed in response and he cocked his head to the side ever so slightly with a coy smile on his face. "...Something new."

**To be continued...**

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><p><strong>PLEASE REVIEW! I hope you enjoyed this Chapter. :)<br>**

**~Satine~**


	5. Chapter 5: Under Your Spell

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**** Songs used, "Insomnia (Monster Mix)" BY: Faithless**

**"Under Your Spell" BY: Desire (It was used in the movie Drive with Ryan Gossling).  
><strong>

**"Somewhere Only We Know" BY: Keane.  
><strong>

**"This Must Be It" BY: Royksopp (It was used in the movie Hall Pass).**

**Go to 4shared dot com in a separate tab to look up the music and listen to it while reading this chapter to add to the "feel" of the story. :)**

**DISCLAIMER:**** Once Upon a Time belongs to ABC (Disney). This story is for NON-profit, entertainment purposes ONLY.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 5 - "Under Your Spell"<strong>

**Storybrooke, Maine**

"You look famished, my dear. Would you like something to eat?" Mr. Gold asked, changing the subject. I faltered for a moment, a little surprised that he could tell just by looking at me that I hadn't eaten all day. Did I really look that bad..? If I hadn't known better, I'd have suspected that he'd been spying on me, but the thought alone seemed rather ludicrous.

"Um, sure. What do you have..?" I asked tentatively.

"Well, let's see. Do you like bagels?" he asked in his charmingly accented voice, though I had to admit, it _was_ a bit odd seeing him act this way. Acting... nice. I managed a smile and a small nod in response. "Alright then, one bagel coming right up." He got to his feet using his cane for support and headed into the kitchen once more.

I waited in silence in the living room, listening to a soft song with no vocals that played on the stereo in the background as the rain and wind battered the house. I was glad to be inside during a nasty storm like this. As much as I loved the rain, this was a bit much. It wasn't long before Mr. Gold returned and handed me a plate with a bagel cut in half and covered with strawberry cream cheese.

"Thank you," I mumbled a little awkwardly as I grabbed the plate from him and quickly took a huge bite; it was delicious and I hadn't eaten in so long that it hit my stomach like a rock, but I didn't care.

Though for some reason, I did feel like it'd be an insult if I didn't eat what he had given me, and thankfully it was something I actually did enjoy. Mr. Gold took a seat in the chair across from me and made a point not to stare at me until after I had finished eating. I set the plate down on the table next to the tea cup and sighed contently.

"I take it it was to your liking?" he asked. A small burp accidentally escaped my lips and I turned bright red. He laughed. "I'll take that as a yes." I smiled feeling a little embarrassed, yet relieved that he wasn't judging me. In all honesty, I really wasn't sure _what_ kind of man Mr. Gold truly was... and now it seemed like I was finally getting the chance to 'feel' him out for the first time. _KA-__BOOM! _Thunder crashed out of nowhere, shaking the house and startling me. I had no longer been paying attention to the lightning patterns. "So you never answered my question," Mr. Gold said abruptly.

I furrowed my brow. "About what?" I asked, pretending not to know that he was referring to our previously unfinished conversation pertaining to what was wrong with me.

"Don't bother feigning ignorance with me, dearie. I'm not your boyfriend," he said, his brown eyes boring into my green-blue ones in an intimidating manner. I blinked in surprise and swallowed hard in response.

"_Okay, okay_... it's just-" I faltered, feeling extremely anxious and beginning to fidget with my hands. "It's just that I feel guilty," I blurted, immediately dropping my gaze so that it was level with the floor. Mr. Gold chuckled, the sound catching me off guard.

"_Guilty?_" he repeated, almost sounding incredulous. "What for? You haven't done anything wrong."

I looked across the room at him and bit my lower lip. "How do you know that?" I asked earnestly. He chuckled again and blinked, shaking his head in amusement. But he didn't say anything in response. Instead he just looked at me with pursed lips, as if he were refraining from saying something. I stared at him for a long moment as lightning continuously flashed in the sky and thunder boomed overhead in rumbling waves. "I s'pose I should go," I said after a while as I suddenly got to my feet.

"I'll give you a ride-"

"-_No_," I answered quickly. "I'll walk," I said, not really thinking clearly. All I could think of, was not wanting to be a bother to him and also my strong sudden desire to be alone. However, Mr. Gold glared at me in a way that made me feel both scared _and_ sorry to be the poor fucker who ever got on his bad side...

"Tia, you're being ridiculous. Let me at least drop you off somewhere along Main Street," he said, a hint of annoyance in his voice. I decided not to push my luck, and nodded in compliance.

"Alright." I crossed the room, and into the entryway to put my shoes back on. He followed a few paces behind and handed me my hoodie, which was still a little moist. I suddenly felt shy for some reason, and was unable to look him in the eyes when I took the hoodie from him. I pulled it over my head as he put on his black driving gloves and long trench coat before his retrieving keys from his pocket. "Thank you for letting me come over... and for feeding me," I mumbled with my back to him, though I could see the reflection of him smirking in the stained glass window pane.

"Not a problem at all really. As I said, I enjoy your company," he replied in his thick Scottish brogue that always seemed to make my heart flutter. I stopped with my hand on the doorknob and turned to look at him. As soon as my green-blue eyes met his brown ones, my heart spluttered wildly out of control and I felt a pang of sadness at the thought of leaving.

"I really enjoy your company, too..." I said in a shy voice, my cheeks burning hot as I forced myself not to look away.

"You're welcome to stop by my shop anytime," he said, his eyebrows pulled together the way they did whenever he was trying to be sincere. "Night or day..." he added with a small smile.

"I..." I hesitated, my pulse thudding hard. "I wish I could see you again tomorrow," I breathed. All of the sudden, Mr. Gold took a few steps towards me, closing the little gap between us and causing my heart to palpitate almost painfully.

"Then I'll see you tomorrow," he said matter-of-factly as he stared down into my eyes for a long moment. I managed a playful smile in response before I turned around to face the door again and stepped out into the rain.

* * *

><p><em>Mr. Gold dropped Tia off on Main Street and waited there in his black Cadillac to make sure that she got home safely. By all rights, she was a smart girl... and feisty for someone of such a small stature... Something he could relate to, he thought to himself with a devious smirk. No, it wasn't that he doubted the girl's strength or her determination, but it wasn't enough to stop him from wanting to protect her. He felt that if her boyfriend was not willing to do his duties as her protector, than he would just have to do them for him.<em>

_He waited until she was tucked safely away in her apartment and the door had shut behind her before he put the car in gear and drove home. The rain was no longer coming down in thick sheets, but the sky was still a lit with an intense electrical storm. As he unlocked the front door of his house and walked in, a blast of music was the only thing to greet him; it was a techno song with a fast, energetic beat. He had forgotten to shut the stereo off before he left, though now it really didn't matter so much. He couldn't get Tia off his mind and it was beginning to drive him up the wall._

_Mr. Gold took off his shoes, and hung up his coat and gloves before turning up the volume on the stereo and collapsing into the pink armchair that Tia had been sitting in not too long ago. He could vaguely smell her scent still clinging to the fabric. With a small sigh, he reached into the drawer beside him and pulled out a pipe and a lighter before shutting off the lights, immersing himself in complete darkness; the only source of light coming from the lightning outside and the flick of his lighter every so often. He sat there in silence, just smoking and listening to the music as it changed from the fast beat to a more slow and steady one, when a male vocalist started in._

_**'Ah, yeah, I only smoke weed when I need to****  
>And I need to get some rest<br>Yo' where's the ses? I confess  
>I burned a hole in the mattress, yes, yes<strong>_

_**It was me, I plead guilty  
>And at the count of three<br>I pulled back the duvet  
>Make my way to the refrigerator<br>**_

_**One dry potato inside  
>No lie, not even bread, jam<br>When the light above my head went bam!  
>(Bam! Bam! Bam!)<strong>_

_**I can't sleep, something's all over me, greasy  
>Insomnia, please release me and let me dream<br>About makin' mad love on the heath  
>Tearing off tights with my teeth<br>**_

_**But there's no relief  
>I'm wide awake in my kitchen<br>It's black and I'm lonely  
>Oh, if I could only get some sleep<strong>_

_**Creaky noises make my skin creep**_  
><em><strong>I need to get some sleep<strong>_  
><em><strong>I can't get no sleep<strong>_  
><em><strong>(Sleep, sleep, sleep).' <strong>__The song went back into the fast pace, hyper techno beat for a really long instrumental solo as Mr. Gold sat there in the dark, left to mull over his darkest thoughts and deepest feelings. Insomnia sure was a bitch._

* * *

><p>When I had gotten home, Trent was already sleeping. It wasn't really a surprise to me, so I just crawled into bed and tossed and turned until I fell asleep, as well. The next day after he had left for work, I was going around the house doing my daily chores while listening to music on the stereo system, when a song popped on that sounded a lot like 80's synth with a female vocalist, drums and a steady beat.<p>

_'I don't eat  
>I don't sleep<br>I do nothing but think of yooou_

_I don't eat  
>I don't sleep<br>I do nothing but think of yooou-' _As a guitar joined in, the lyrics made me think of Mr. Gold... I had been thinking about him non-stop the past couple days and I was beginning to worry that it was having an impact on my health. I couldn't eat, the only thing I'd eaten in the last 2 days was that bagel, and that was only because I had felt pressured to eat it. And my sleep, oh God, I wasn't able to fall asleep for over an hour last night, and I never stayed asleep for more than 40 minutes at a time. And that was if I was lucky.

_'-You keep me under your spell  
>You keep me under your spell<br>You keep me under your spell-' _the female vocalist repeated the verse over again several times until there was a guitar solo with synth sounds and I finished up vacuuming all the carpets in each room.

_'-Hey_

Yeah?

_I was wondering  
>Do you know the difference between love and obsession?<em>

_No_

And what's the difference between obsession and desire?

_I don't know_

_Do you think these feelings will last forever?_

_You mean like... forever, ever?_  
><em>(Forever, ever?)<em>  
><em>(Forever, ever?)<em>  
><em>(Forever, ever?)<em>

_Sure_

_God, I hope so_

_Me too-'_ Clapping started in as the techno sounds built and I moved on to making the bed, and dusting off the curtains, dresser, table tops and TV.

_'-I don't eat  
>I don't sleep<br>I do nothing but think of yooou_

_I don't eat  
>I don't sleep<br>I do nothing but think of yooou_

_You keep me under your spell  
>You keep me under your spell<br>You keep me under your spell-'_ All of the sudden there was a knock at the door. I stopped what I was doing and blinked in surprise before I went to see who it was. I opened the door and there stood a girl with dirty dish water blonde hair. Her expression looked taken aback as her eyes met mine. Just then, high pitch, slow crescendo-ing techno noises peaked in the song as the sounds joined in every so often.

_'-You keep me under your spell  
>You keep me under your spell<br>You keep me under your spell-'_

"Can I help you?" I asked with a furrowed brow. Something about her made me feel defensive, even though she hadn't technically done anything. I tried to wrack my brains to see if I could remember ever seeing her before, but I couldn't recall.

"Oh, hi! Is Trent here?" she asked in a chipper tone.

My eyes narrowed. "No, he's at work. May I ask who you are?"

"My name's Amanda," she replied while thrusting her hand out. I reluctantly shook it, using a firm grip and establishing my domination in a subtle way.

"My name's-"

"-_Tia, I know_," she said, cutting across me and looking way more happy than any person should ever look. Unless they just won the lotto or something... I had gotten the distinct impression that she was a phony person who manipulated people into getting whatever they wanted simply by playing the 'innocent, bubbly girl' card. But I wasn't a fool. I saw straight through that kind of shit. Probably the main reason why I didn't have many female friends... "What kind of music is_ that?_" the girl said with a distasteful look on her face as she glanced past me and into my apartment. I closed the door a few inches so she could no longer see inside and made a mental note how rude Trent's friends were. Her eyes met mine again and I glared at her.

"What business is it to you?" I said, no longer trying to hide my dislike for her. I wanted to know why she knew my name and why she was looking for _my _boyfriend. "And what do you want with Trent anyways?" I asked with a raised brow.

_'-I don't eat  
>I don't sleep<br>I do nothing but think of yooou-'_

"Oh, you know, just wanted to stop by and say hi!" she replied, playing dumb. But I wasn't having any of it. "Well I'll come back later!" she announced.

"_Or tomorrow,_" I suggested in a stern voice, not even the slightest trace of friendliness on my face. She stared at me for a second, and looked caught off guard, but she recovered, her facade quickly reappearing.

"Mm-kay, see ya', Tia!" Amanda replied in her phony friendly voice before she turned and walked away with a little skip in her step. I shook my head and closed the door harder than I meant to, causing a picture to fall off the wall in my apartment.

_"Ugh, dammit_," I hissed as I went to pick it up.

_'-I don't eat  
>I don't sleep<br>I do nothing but think of yooou.'_ A violin solo took place until the drums ceased and the song faded to an end._ G_lass shattered all over the place when the picture had landed, leaving a small mess for me to clean up. When I flipped over the picture frame, I froze; it was an image of me and Trent from way back when we first started dating. We _actually_ looked happy back then. A _faaar _cry from where we stood now. I felt a pang of sadness and the feeling of tears beginning to prickle my eyes, but I forced them back into the cage where they belonged.

I stared at the picture, regaining my composure when, to my shock, I suddenly spotted that Amanda girl who was just at the door, in the background sitting at a table with a few friends. My heart pounded so hard in my chest that it made it's way to my throat and caused me to feel ill. I didn't want to think about it, but I had a terrible feeling this... _girl_-

"-_More like horse_," I muttered aloud, thinking of the resemblance she bared in her long face and stretched features. -was trying to ruin my relationship with Trent. Just _how_ _long_ had she been an influence on the dysfunctional relationship we had been having..? Had it been a matter of months..? Perhaps even years..?

I got to my feet, cleaned up the mess and without another look, I tossed the picture in the trash along with the broken glass. I went into the kitchen and started dinner. I didn't need a repeat of last night if I could help it and at the moment I really just needed something to keep me distracted from feeling the painful sting of betrayal. I wasn't sure if I should be mad at Trent, or if I should be mad at that Amanda chick..? Perhaps if I confronted him about it tonight, I would finally get an answer...

* * *

><p><em>The sun wasn't quite setting yet, but it cast an orange hue on everything as Mr. Gold walked through the woods all alone, except for the company of his cane and the nature that surrounded him. Reaching into his coat pocket, he pulled out an MP3 player and ran his thumb over the small, flat, rectangular device. A soft smile formed upon his lips as he thought about Tia and her love for music; it was beginning to grow on him.<em>

_He walked at a casual pace, following a trail that ran alongside a small river while listening to the soothing sound of rushing water. Tia hadn't came to visit him at his shop today like he had expected her to, and although part of him felt sad about this, a larger, more logical part of him was relieved. He placed the ear buds in his ears and hit 'Play' on the small device before putting it back in his pocket. A song with piano, drums and guitar started up as Mr. Gold continued to walk along the small dirt path with his cane in hand. A male vocalist began to sing._

_**'I walked across... an empty land  
>I knew the pathway like the back of my haaand<br>I felt the earth... beneath my feet  
>Sat by the river and it made me compleeete-' <strong>__Mr. Gold came to an abrupt halt at the sight of destruction before him; the ferocious lightning storm last night had managed to split a thick oak tree nearly clean in half. _

_**'-Oh, simple thing... where have you gone?  
>I'm getting old and I need somethin' to rely on<br>So tell me when... you're gonna' let me in  
>I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begiiin-' <strong>__Some of the trees branches lay lifeless on the ground, their bright beige insides splayed open like a horrific gaping wound. _

_**'-I came across... a fallen tree  
>I felt the branches of it looking at meee<br>Is this the place... we used to love?  
>Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?-' <strong>__As a few lines in the lyrics eerily paralleled reality, Mr. Gold was not oblivious to this. _

_**'-Oh, simple thing... where have you gone?  
>I'm getting old and I need somethin' to rely on<br>So tell me when... you're gonna' let me in  
>I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begiiin<strong>_

_**And if you have a minute why don't we go  
>Talk about it somewhere only we know?<br>This could be the end of everything  
>So why don't we go<br>Somewhere only we know?  
>Somewhere only we knooow-' <strong>__As Mr. Gold remain frozen to the spot, an idea suddenly hit him; his cabin was not far from here... maybe a mile or two at most. It would be the perfect secret meeting place for Tia to seek him out if ever she needed to. And the reality of having her stop by his shop so frequently would surely rise the suspicion of the town, which was the last thing either of them wanted._

_**'-Oh, simple thiiing where have you gone?  
>I'm getting old and I need somethin' to rely on<br>So tell me wheeen you're gonna' let me in  
>I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begiiin<strong>_

_**And if you have a minute why don't we go  
>Talk about it somewhere only we know?<br>This could be the end of everything  
>So why don't we go<br>So why don't we gooo**_

_**Ooooooooh!**_

_**Ohhhhhhhh!-' **__The male vocalist crooned along to the bridge in the song and for the second time in a long, long time, Mr. Gold felt **something** stir within the depths of his heart._

_**'-This could be the end of everythiiing  
>So why don't we go somewhere only we know?<br>Somewhere only we knooow  
>Somewhere only we know.'<strong>_

* * *

><p>Trent didn't come home for dinner. I watched as the sun set, and the food grew cold before I finally decided to eat alone and put the leftovers away. I was livid; after going through all the trouble to try and make him happy, only for him to not even give a damn. I was fed up with it, and a large part of me had a sick, twisted feeling that it had to do with that Amanda girl.<p>

I headed into the bedroom, opened the closet and pulled out some cash that I had stashed away for emergencies. I then pulled a dress from one of the racks and went to change into it. I threw on a tight fitting leopard print mini-dress with black straps and put on my black knee high high-heel boots. I glanced into the mirror to make sure I was alright with my appearance, and was actually rather pleased with the outcome; I managed to look tough, yet feminine at the same time.

"_Purrr_fect," I purred playfully as I snagged my black pleather jacket from the closet and tossed it on before heading out for the night. It was time _I_ had a little fun for a change.

I stepped foot in the front doors of the Ace Of Clubs and was immediately hit with not only a blast of bass and techno with a fast beat and an ethereal sound, but also a rush of cold smoke from a fog machine. Green, blue, pink, white and yellow lights strobed and flashed as I made my way through the sea of people, many of which were waving or wearing multicolored glow sticks, bracelets and/or necklaces. As I took a seat at the bar off to the side, the lyrics to the song started up with a female vocalist.

_'Waiting for a beam to break through here  
>A chain way vision all bright and clear<br>And they taaalk and they daaance_

_I was expecting something pure with a golden hair  
>Arms full of bracelets and smoke in the air<br>And they taaalk and they daaance_

_Here comes darkness, just afternoon  
>Waiting for a sign, if I survive I'll worship the moooon<br>Or somethiiing, anythiiing_

_This must be it, long for bliss  
>First it was so quiet, now I know I'm not alone in here<br>And they talked and they danced-' _The female vocalist started to make high pitch sing-song like sounds that blended beautifully with the techno beat and I was really starting to get into it. I looked around the room and saw everyone dancing away to the music, not a care in the world. Out of nowhere, I thought I caught a glimpse of Trent and it made my stomach drop out from under me.

"Can I buy you a drink, Miss Oakumura?" I jerked involuntarily and whipped my head around, my pulse racing. To my relief, I saw that it was just Mr. Gold. I glanced back in the direction I had thought I saw Trent, but either he was gone now, or my eyes had been playing tricks on me. Trying to ignore it, I looked to Mr. Gold again, my cheeks flushing and my stomach knotting up in a way that _only_ he made me feel.

"Sure," I replied, flashing him a quick smile as the bartender came up to us.

"Two sexual chocolate's please," Mr. Gold ordered casually, without taking his eyes off me and a polite smile playing at the corner of his lips. The bartender nodded and went to mix the drinks, leaving us alone.

_'-Two omens collide in my open hand  
>Making me a viewer, I am what I have seen<br>And they taaalk and they daaance_

_Your hand on my hips, speak friendly to me  
>I've been studying for yeeears, patientlyyy<br>Is this as far as you can take meeee?_

_This must be it, long for bliss  
>First it was so quiet, now I know I'm not alone in here<br>And they taaalked and they daaaanced_

_This must be it, long for bliss  
>First it was so quiet, now I know I'm not alone in here<br>And they taaalked and they daaanced-'_

"Hmm, interesting name for a drink," I said with a grin.

"Just wait until you taste it," Mr. Gold replied, his eyes remaining locked with mine for several beats as a long instrumental solo took place. The bartender returned with two martini glasses and set the drinks down on the little white napkins in front of us. The contents were a creamy cocoa color and looked very chocolatey. I reached for my drink and took a few sips.

"_Oh, yum!_" I said in surprise and took several gulps before I could help myself. "_It tastes like a Tootsie roll!_"

"Glad you approve," he said with a chuckle, though it was a bit drowned out by the loud music.

"What's in it?" I asked, as he took a few gulps from his glass.

"Well," he began. "there's Bailey's Irish Cream, a little raspberry Schnapps, some Kalluha, Creme De Cocoa, and... a splash of soda water."

"It's delicious!" I said, finishing the drink faster than I had meant to. Mr. Gold watched me with an amused expression on his face.

"Want another?" he asked with an arched brow and a quirky smirk. I blushed and nodded shyly. He lifted his hand up ever so slightly to get the attention of the bartender who spotted him damn near instantaneously. "Another round please," he ordered as he finished off his drink.

_'-This must be it, long for bliss  
>First it was so quiet, now I know I'm not alone in here-' <em>There was a short instrumental solo as the bartender mixed up our drinks and brought them over to us.

"How did you know I was here?" I asked curiously, immediately starting on the second drink.

"Oh, let's just say, 'a little bird' told me," he replied deviously as he went to take a sip from his glass. I eyed him with a grin on my face.

"Are you following me, Mr. Gold?" I asked in a mischievous tone, my brain-mouth filter less restrictive than normal due to the alcohol.

_'-This must be it, long for bliss  
>First it was so quiet, now I know I'm not alone in here<br>And they taaalked and they daaanced.' _Another long instrumental solo took place as Mr. Gold and I might as well have been eye fucking each other with the deep gaze we were intensely locked in. But this time I wasn't going to cave and look away. I stared him down for several moments, my heart hammering way in my chest like mad until, to my elation, he glanced away with a playful expression on his face.

"Just looking out for you, my dear," he said casually, before downing the rest of his drink. I smirked. So he _was_ following me...

"That explains a lot..." I said, still smiling at him. "Thank you," I added in a quiet voice as my eyes wandered to the sea of people who were dancing away to the music. I sighed ever so slightly without even realizing it.

"My pleasure," he replied in his sexy Scottish brogue as he watched me curiously. "I'd ask you to dance, but with you looking as lovely as you do, I'm afraid it would draw too much attention..."

"Yeah... I was afraid of that..." I mumbled, turning my eyes away from the crowd.

"However," he began with a coy smirk. "that doesn't mean we _can't _dance." I quickly looked at him, a little taken a back.

"What-?" I started to say as he got to his feet and held his hand out for me to take. I tentatively took it and he pulled me to my feet with a kind of ease that surprised me for a man with a bad leg. He paused for a moment and stared down into my eyes as I stood there just an _inch_away from him. I could actually smell his cologne and I couldn't deny the appealing aroma. I had to refrain from pressing my face into his suit coat and taking a big whiff.

_'Perhaps another time,'_ I thought to myself.

He leaned into me and turned his head in my direction. "Follow me," he whispered into my ear while bending his free arm so I could hold onto the inside crook of his elbow. I felt like I was being escorted somewhere like I was royalty, or like I was being proudly displayed. My pulse was racing as I processed everything I was feeling. It was mingled between contentment and slight confusion because my boyfriend had _never_ once made me feel _this_ way before. Yet here Mr. Gold was... a man twice my age making me feel special. Something I had never really felt before now. With me on one arm and his cane in the other, he led me up a staircase to the second floor of the Club and into a private booth as the techno song faded to an end.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Hope you liked this Chapter. :) Please review! Thank you!<strong>_

_**~Satine~**_


	6. Chapter 6: Bad Romance

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: ****The songs used in this Chapter are, "Love You Like A Love Song" By: Selena Gomez & The Scene.**

**"Bad Romance" BY: Lady Gaga.  
><strong>

**"Alligator Tears (Josh Harris Remix)" By: Tegan & Sara.**

**"Magic Man" BY: Heart  
><strong>

**DISCLAIMER:**** I do NOT own Once Upon a Time or any of their characters. They belong to the respective rights of Disney ABC and this is solely for entertainment NON-profit purposes ONLY.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6 - "Bad Romance"<strong>

**Storybrooke, Maine**_  
><em>

_Mr. Gold led Tia up the staircase and to one of the private booths on the second floor. The lights on the dance floor moved sideways and up and down as a techno song played. The catchy drum beat took them over, their hearts steady-beating... When t_hey stepped inside the small room, he _watched as Tia's feet moved to the music, her hips they swayed. Without hesitation, he reached out and pulled her close as she sang along with the female vocalist. _

_**'It's been said and done  
>Every beautiful thought's been already sung<br>And I guess right now here's another one  
>So your melody will play on and on<br>With the best of 'em-'**_

_"You are beautiful. __Like a dream come alive, incredible. __A sinful, miracle, lyrical. __You've saved my life again... a__nd I want you to know, baby-"Tia sang aloud. her eyes locked with Mr. Gold's as they danced together.  
><em>

_**'-I, I love you like a love song, baby  
>I, I love you like a love song, baby<br>I, I love you like a love song, baby  
>And I keep hitting repeat-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat<strong>_

_**Ohh, **__**I, I love you like a love song, baby**_  
><em><strong>Ohh, <strong>__**I, I love you like a love song, baby**_  
><em><strong>Ohh, <strong>__**I, I love you like a love song, baby**_  
><em><strong>And I keep hitting repeat-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat-' <strong>_

__'She likes techno and tastes like a tear,' Mr. Gold thought to himself as he held her close.__

_Tia tells him, "Don't stop dancing," and she's pulling him near._

**'-Constantly  
><strong>**Boy you play through my mind like a symphony  
><strong>_**There's no way to describe what you do to me**  
><strong>You just do to me... what you do-'<strong>_

_"And it feels like I've been rescued, I've been set free. __I am hypnotized by your destiny. __You are magical, lyrical, beautiful. __You are... and I want you to know, baby_-" _Tia sang aloud._ _Loud, warbling__ techno sounds returned as the b_oth of them continued to dance together within the seclusion of the booth. A sheer lavender curtain draped over the entryway added a sort of retro, hippie vibe to everything._..  
><em>

_**'****-Ohh, **__**I, I love you like a (love song, baby) love song, baby**_  
><em><strong>Ohh, <strong>__**I, I love you like a (love song, baby) love song, baby**_  
><em><strong>Ohh<strong>_, _**I, I love you (I love you, I love you) like a love song, baby**_  
><em><strong>And I keep hitting repeat-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat (like a love song)<strong>-'_ _As the two of them swayed back and forth to the music, Tia had her eyes closed and her face buried into Mr. Gold's dress shirt; her arms delicately wrapped around his neck and his hands gently resting on her hips. He had abandoned his cane on the puffy, tasseled pillows that lined the corner of the small space. An abrupt, sharp pain shot up from his bad knee in rippling waves, but in this moment... he just didn't care._

**_'-No one compares, you stand alone  
>To every record I own<br>Music to my heart that's what you are  
>A song that goes on and on<br>Ohhhhhhh oh oh oh, oh oh!_**

**_I, I love you like a love song, baby_**  
><strong><em>I, I love you (I love you, I love you) like a love song, baby<em>**  
><strong><em>I, I love you (like a love song, like a love song) like a love song, baby<em>**  
><strong><em>And I keep hitting repeat-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat-'<em>**__ As Mr. Gold held Tia close and he danced with her, he was lost deep in a trance of thoughts. '____We've got nowhere to go, we've got nothing to prove... Instead of dancing alone, I'm glad I'm dancing with you... This song is turning me on, the beat is doing me in... Or maybe it's only you..? But either way, lets begin...'__**__  
><em>_**

**_'-I, I love you like (love song, baby) a love song, baby_**  
><strong><em>I, I love you (like a love song, baby) like a love song, baby<em>**  
><strong><em>I, I love you like a love song, baby<em>**

**_I love you, I love you_**  
><strong><em>Like a love song.' <em>**_the female vocalist finished singing and the song came to an end.  
><em>

* * *

><p>When I came to a halt, my breathing was a little heavier than normal from swaying along to the music with Mr. Gold. It wasn't quite dancing, but it was close enough as far as I was concerned. In all reality, I was simply elated to be so <em>close<em> to him... In fact, my heart was still racing because of how close we were.

"Enjoying yourself, love?" he asked in his Scottish brogue, causing my pulse to jump at the sound of him referring to me as 'love'.

"_Mm-hmm,_" I mumbled, unable to form any coherent words at that precise moment. I looked up at him with a smile on my face and my cheeks flustered. He peered down his nose at me and returned the smile. "How about you?" I asked.

"Having the time of my life," he replied, still smiling. I laughed, unsure if he was being serious or not when an idea suddenly crossed my mind. With my hands placed on his chest, I mustered up all the courage I had and playfully shoved him backward onto the pile of pillows. At first he looked surprised, but in a good way when I began to move my body to the music; another fast-paced techno song with a female vocalist.

_'__Oh-oh-oh-oh-ohhh  
>Oh-oh-oh-ohhh<br>Oh-oh-oh_  
><em> Caught in a bad romance<em>

_ Rah-rah, ah-ah, ah-ah!_  
><em> Roma, roma-ma-ma!<em>  
><em> Gaga, ooh-la-la!<em>  
><em> Want your bad romance-' <em>The bass in the song started in right then, and I allowed myself to loosen up and really get into the beat as I danced in front of Mr. Gold, who watched me with a crooked grin on his face.

_ '-Rah-rah, ah-ah, ah-ah!_  
><em> Roma, roma-ma-ma!<em>  
><em> Gaga, ooh-la-la!<em>  
><em> Want your bad romance<em>

_ I want your ugly_  
><em> I want your disease<em>  
><em> I want your everything<em>  
><em> As long as it's free<em>

_I want your love_  
><em> Love, love, love<em>  
><em>I want your love-' <em>There was a short pause in vocals as I shot Mr. Gold a very mischievous look while putting on a show for him. I was bent forward with my hands placed on his knees and was swinging my hips back and forth to the beat.

_'-Hey!_

_I want your drama  
>The touch of your hand<em>, _(hey!)-' _Right then I took one of his hands and placed it on my cheek all while still moving to the beat.

_'-I want your leather-studded_  
><em>Kiss in the sand<em>

_I want your love_  
><em> Love, love, love<em>  
><em> I want your love<em>

_(Love, love, love)_  
><em>(I want your love)-' <em>Even though my heart was threatening to burst forth from my chest at any moment, I pushed through it and kept my eyes locked with his._  
><em>

_'-You know that I want you_  
><em> And you know that I need you<em>  
><em> I want it bad<em>  
><em>Your bad romance<em>

_I want your love and_  
><em> I want your revenge<em>  
><em>You and me could write<br>A __bad romance_

_(Oh-oh-oh-oh-ohhh)_

_I want your love and_  
><em> All your lovers' revenge<em>  
><em> You and me could<em> _write_  
><em>A bad romance<em>

_ Oh-oh-oh-oh-ohhh  
>Oh-oh-oh-ohhh<br>Oh-oh-oh_  
><em> Caught in a bad romance<em>

_ Rah-rah, ah-ah, ah-ah!_  
><em> Roma, roma-ma-ma!<em>  
><em> Gaga, ooh-la-la!<em>  
><em> Want your bad romance-' <em>I turned around and lowered myself backwards onto Mr. Gold's lap, wrapping my lower legs around his and grinding my butt against his groin. A groan escaped his lips and I wasn't sure if he had meant it to or not. I smiled to myself as I continued to move to the music. I could feel his erection growing through the fabric of his pants. The thought alone made my cheeks burn hot and my pulse jump in my veins.

_'-I want your horror_  
><em> I want your design<em>  
><em> 'Cause you're a criminal<em>  
><em> As long as you're mine<em>

_I want your love_  
><em> Love, love, love<em>  
><em>I want your love, ooh-uh!-' <em>the female vocalist sang, making a guttural sound as Mr. Gold ran his hands along the curves of my body, pulling me back and up against him so that he could plant soft kisses on the back of my neck. This time I was the one who let out a groan and I could feel him smiling against my skin in response.

_ '-I want your psycho_  
><em> Your vertigo stick (hey!)<em>  
><em> Want you in my rear window<em>  
><em> Baby, it's sick<em>

_I want your love_  
><em> Love, love, love<em>  
><em> I want your love<em>

_(Love, love, love)_  
><em>(I want your love)<br>_

_ You know that I want you_  
><em> ('Cause I'm a free bitch, baby!)<em>  
><em> And you know that I need you<em>  
><em>I want it bad, bad romance-'<em>

"I want your love and I want your revenge. You and me could write a bad romance. Oh-oh-oh-oh-_ohhh,_ I want your love and all your lovers' revenge. You and me could write a bad romance. Oh-oh-oh-oh-_ohhh_, oh-oh-oh-_ohhh_ oh-oh-oh, caught in a bad romance," I sang along to the lyrics.

_ '__-Rah-rah, ah-ah, ah-ah!_  
><em> Roma, roma-ma-ma!<em>  
><em> Gaga, ooh-la-la!<em>  
><em> Want your bad romance-'<em>

"Rah-rah, ah-ah, ah-ah! Roma, roma-ma-ma! Gaga, ooh-la-la! Want your bad romance," I sang aloud before I stood upright and stomped my foot in procession with the beat of the music. "Walk, walk fashion, baby. Work it, move that bitch crazy," I sang while swinging my hips. "Walk, walk fashion, baby. Work it, move that bitch crazy. Walk, walk passion, baby. Work it, I'm a free bitch, baby," I bent forward again, leaning down towards Mr. Gold. "I want your love and I want your revenge. I want your love, I don't wanna' be friends..."

'-_Je veux ton amour_  
><em> Et je veux ta revanche<em>  
><em> J'veux ton amour<em>  
><em> I don't wanna' be friends-' <em>the female vocalist sang some of the lyrics in French.

_"_Oh-oh-oh-oh-_ohhh_, oh oh oh _ohhh_, oh oh oh, no I don't wanna' be friends. Caught in a bad romance. _I don't wanna' be friends!_ Oh-oh-oh-oh-_ohhh,_ oh oh oh _ohhh_, oh oh oh,_ want your bad romance!_ Caught in a bad romance. _Want your bad romance!_" I belted the lyrics with power.

'-_I want your love and_  
><em> I want your revenge<em>  
><em> You and me could w<em>_rite  
>A bad romance!<em>

_ Oh-oh-oh-oh-ohhh  
>Oh-oh-oh-ohhh<br>Oh-oh-oh_  
><em> Want your bad romance!<em>  
><em> (Caught in a bad romance)<em>  
><em> Want your bad romance!<em>_-' _I climbed onto Mr. Gold and was now laying across his lap as the song wound down.

_'-Rah-rah, ah-ah, ah-ah!_  
><em> Roma, roma-ma-ma!<em>  
><em> Gaga, ooh-la-la!<em>  
><em> Want your bad romance.' <em>Right as the song came to an end, the next one came on with drums and a simple techno beat that slowly built with each procession.

_'Die without, die without  
>Die without, die without-' <em>a female vocalist's voice echoed before there was an instrumental solo, the beat continuing to build.

"Um, I have to use the restroom," I mumbled, a little embarrassed. Mr. Gold merely chuckled and nodded in response. I moved to stand up and he gave me a gentle shove to help give me the momentum, but I couldn't help find it humorous; in the process he had a handful of my butt in his hand. And oddly, I had a vague sense of Deja Vu, but quickly dismissed it as I flashed him a quick, shy smile and then ducked under the curtain. I made my way to the bathroom, cursing myself for having drank so much when I first got here.

_'-Alligator tears...  
>Alligator tears...<br>_

_Alligator tears...  
>Alligator tears<br>Cried over you-' _the singer's voice echoed as the beat continued, more techno sounds joining in. I used the restroom as quickly as I could, however it still wasn't fast enough to avoid the company of another female. I was literally just about to unlock the stall and go to wash my hands when the voice I heard made me go stiff.

"_What the-? No toilet paper? You've got to be kidding me..._" I heard the girl complain, suddenly realizing that it was that Amanda girl who had stopped by my house earlier. "_Hey you in there!_" she shouted, causing me to involuntarily jerk. "_Make yourself useful and hand me some toilet paper_," she demanded. I silently tore off a few squares and handed it under the stalls divider. She snatched it from me without even a hint of a 'thank you'. Though in all honesty, I was actually kind of glad because I didn't want to reply to her anyways.

_'-Alligator tears...  
>Alligator tears...-'<em> the female vocalist repeated the lyrics as I waited for the bitch to finish up and leave before I finally came out of the stall. I washed my hands as fast as I could and tentatively headed back out into the packed Club. Something told me she was here with Trent, and I needed to know if my suspicions were right._  
><em>

_'-Alligator tears...  
>Alligator tears<br>Cried over you_

__Sensitive, it's true  
>Alligator tears<br>Cried over you-' __My head darted back and forth as my eyes scanned the crowd for any sign of either of them. It seemed more busy now than when I had first arrived, making it nearly impossible to locate anyone. I started to get frustrated as I pushed my way through the crowd of people, the lights flashing and bouncing around in a dizzying manner.

_'-Over you, over you...  
>Over you, over you<em>

_Run arouuund on me  
>Sooner die without<em>

_Run arouuund on me  
>Diiie without<em>

_Relentless  
>Yes, it's true<br>My motor mouth  
>Runs over you, ooh<em>

_Over you, over you...  
>Over you, over you-' <em>With a twisted lurch of my stomach, I spotted Trent and the home-wrecker up on the second floor, heading into one of the private booths; her hand was in his as she lead the way. It felt like the floor dropped out from beneath me and my heart was suddenly threatening to explode. I was falling apart... right in the middle of everyone.

_'-Run arouuund on me  
>Sooner die without<em>

_Run arouuund on me  
>Diiie without<em>

_Over you, over you...  
>Over you, over you-' <em>The lyrics to the song hit me about as hard as a freight-train. I stood there motionless in a sea of people that were all moving to the beat of the music... completely oblivious to my agony...

"Trying to escape from me now, are we, dearie?" Mr. Gold's voice broke through my thoughts; something that wasn't easy considering how loud I was screaming inside my head. I spun around with tears brimming in my eyes and saw a taken aback expression on his face. His dark brown eyes narrowed in a calculative manner before he looked up, scanning the crowd of people, and searching for what could have possibly caused my abrupt change of mood.

_'-Over you, over you...  
>Over you, over you<em>

_Run arouuund on me  
>Sooner die without<em>

_Run arouuund on me  
>Diiie without<em>

__Nooo hissy fits  
>Mind my manners<br>Won't make a scene_-'_

"I just saw Trent with another girl," I said in a monotone voice, and Mr. Gold looked at me in a way that made me feel pathetic and small. Though I knew he hadn't meant it to. I suppose it was meant to be sympathy, but coming from him it just seemed wrong. Besides... how can you comfort someone who felt dead inside..?

_'-Oh, over you_  
><em>Over you, over you<em>

_Over you  
>Over you, over you<br>_

_Run arouuund on me  
>Sooner die without<em>

_Run arouuund on me_  
><em>Diiie without<em>

__Raveled yes, it's true  
>Alligator tears<br>Spilled over you_-'_

"You already know that he does not deserve you," Mr. Gold said in a quiet voice, though I was still able hear him over the music. "...He _never_ deserved you." Tears spilled from my eyes, hot and salty as they ran down my cheek.

_'-Run arouuund on me  
>Sooner die without<em>

_Run arouuund on me_  
><em>Diiie without<em>

_Diiie without  
>Diiie without<em>

_Diiie without  
>Diiie without-' <em>There was a short, soft synth solo as I allowed myself to collapse into Mr. Gold arms. A few more tears spilled from my eyes and fell onto his finely tailored suit as he held me close for a long time; his grip firm, but not constricting in any way.

_'-Alligator tears...  
>Alligator tears...<br>Alligator tears..._

_Diiie without_  
><em>Diiie without<em>

_Alligator tears  
>Cried over you<br>_

_Over you, over you  
>Over you<br>_

_Over you, over you...  
><em>

_Diiie without  
>Diiie without-' <em>the female vocalist ceased singing and there was another techno solo.

"Come back to my place with me," Mr. Gold whispered into my ear, while still holding me tight in the middle of the Club's dance floor.

_'-Alligator tears...  
>Alligator tears...<em>

_Diiie without  
>Diiie without<em>

_Diiie without  
>Diiie without-'<em>

"...kay," I breathed with a sniffle before wiping away the remaining tears that clung to my face while looking up into his brown eyes.

_'-Alligator tears.' _With one final techno solo, some of the music faded, leaving only the beat for a few long measures as Mr. Gold steered me out of the Ace Of Clubs with his hand on the small of my back.

* * *

><p>The drive over to Mr. Gold's house was a silent one, but not in the pervasive, awkward kind of way. I was just too devastated to really say anything, and I think he understood that. The feeling I had of confusion no longer existed inside of me, but was now replaced by a deep, deep hurt that I could literally <em>feel<em> transforming into rage within me. A rage that made me want to seek revenge for all the pain Trent had caused me... And that Amanda girl who clearly had to have known what she was doing. She was not any bit more innocent than Trent was.

We pulled into Mr. Gold's driveway, and he cut the engine before we both got out of the car and I followed him through the front yard. I waited on his porch as he unlocked the door and lead me into his house once again. Just like last time, I took off my shoes, stumbling a little in the processes because I had high heels on this time around. I started to head toward the living room.

"Actually..." he began, causing me to falter where I stood as I stopped to turn around and look at him. "I don't believe I've ever shown you thee upstairs."

Despite my pain and heartache, I still felt a small tug at the corner of my lips and I couldn't help but wonder if he was just trying to get me upstairs for other reasons..? I allowed my face to relax, even though I couldn't quite smile yet and I walked back over to where he stood. I closed the gap between us and placed both my hands on either side of the collar on his suit.

"Well then, be my tour guide? Lead the way," I said, trying to be playful, as difficult as it currently was. I could see in Mr. Gold's face that he appreciated the fact that I wasn't allowing what had just happened at the Club to ruin _our_ time together. If anything, now I felt _more_ inclined to get to know him better. Any trace of guilt on the matter that I had once possessed, seemed to have vanished at the Club.

Mr. Gold placed his free hand over one of mine, the warmth of his skin made my heart flutter. To my surprise, he took my hand and brought it up to his lips where he proceeded to place delicate kisses on my knuckles. I could feel the barest hint of his stubble graze my skin in the process, making goosebumps dance along my forearms and shoulders. I didn't understand how he was so skilled at being a gentleman _and_ the town's most feared man all at the same time.

"Follow me," he purred while placing his arm around me and leading me up the staircase. We reached the second floor and the first thing I noticed, was that it wasn't anywhere near as cluttered as the downstairs was. I figured we were going to head into one of the rooms down the hall, but instead he took me up another flight of stairs that lead to the attic. A completely finished-off attic with beige colored walls, violet carpeting and a large outdoor porch directly across from the staircase. As I stepped further into the room I saw that in a nook off to the side, resided a four-poster bed with purple satin curtains. It looked _so_ comfortable and inviting that I literally had to resist the urge to go and climb into it.

"Is this your bedroom?" I asked, pretty certain what his response was going to be as I crossed the room and looked out into the porch.

"Yes. Does it meet your approval?" Mr. Gold asked, while walking up beside me. I looked at him, uncertain if he was being serious or not.

"It's lovely," I replied with a small smile. However, I sighed aloud on accident, I guess as a subconscious attempt to release some of my internal stress.

"Yes, but not as lovely as you, my dear," he countered, and I looked at him, my cheeks turning the slightest shade of pink.

"I'm glad at least someone thinks so," I murmured, my self esteem rather low under the current circumstances.

Mr. Gold gave me look that was torn between disbelief and amusement, but after a moment, he suddenly looked... sad? Or perhaps it was... anger? "Do you truly believe that?" he asked, almost defensively as if my self worth was somehow associated with his. When I didn't say anything, he sighed. "It would appear that your being shut in with that... _boy_ for so many years has seemed to have warped your mind," he said. I stared at him, a little taken aback. There was a moment of silence and I pursed my lips in defeat.

"It's-it's just..." I stuttered. "...I _cared_ about him, and I _thought_ he cared about me, too," I said, sounding exasperated as I dropped my gaze to the floor.

"Surely you know that he's not worth it?" Mr. Gold replied, sounding sympathetic yet blunt. I sighed again, but this time it wasn't in the same manner as before.

"You're right," I said simply. "I don't know why it even matters to me anymore..." I looked at him once more and his eyes locked with mine. "You mean more to me than he does."

Mr. Gold looked at me with a pleased expression on his face, and I no longer felt the heavy weight in my heart. I had no reason to feel guilty any longer. I watched as he began to remove his suit coat before retrieving a remote from the nearby dresser. With a click of a couple buttons, music started playing from the stereo across the room; a familiar classic rock song came on with a gorgeous guitar lick. I smiled at him as he set the remote back down on the dresser and opened up the door that led out onto the porch before beckoning me to follow. I took a deep breath and stepped outside.

_'Cold, late night so long ago_  
><em>When I was not so strong, you know<em>  
><em>A pretty man came to me<em>  
><em>Never seen eyes so blue<em>

_You know, I could not run away it seemed_  
><em>We'd seen each other in a dream<em>  
><em>Seemed like he knew me<em>  
><em>He looked right through meee, yeah-'<em> the female vocalist sang as the music carried outside where we stood. I felt a drop of water hit me in the face and moments later, it began to rain. Mr. Gold chuckled softly.

"It's raining just for you," he said, giving me a look that made my heart falter.

"No it's not," I replied, while playfully swatting at him, though I did find it quite a convenient coincidence...

_'-"Come on home, girl" he said with a smile_  
><em>"You don't have to love me yet, let's get high a while<em>  
><em>But try to understand, try to understand<em>  
><em>Try, try, try to understand, I'm a magic man"<br>_

_Winter nights we sang in tune_  
><em>Played inside the months of moon<em>  
><em>"Never think of never<em>  
><em>Let this spell last forever"<em>

_Well, summer lover passed to fall_  
><em>Tried to realize it all<em>  
><em>Mama says she's worried<em>  
><em>Growing up in a huuurry, yeah-' <em>A gust of wind made the rain turn sideways and lash at us from where we stood on the balcony causing me to tremble a little bit. That of which didn't go unnoticed as I caught Mr. Gold's eyes lingering on my shaking legs.

"To be honest... I'm a little scared," I mumbled before he could say anything. He scoff-laughed at me followed by a coy little smirk that made my pulse jump.

_'-"Come on home, girl" Mama cried on the phone_  
><em>"Too soon to lose my baby yet, my girl should be at home"<em>  
><em>But try to understand, try to understand<em>  
><em>Try, try, try to understand, he's a magic man, Mama<em>  
><em>Ahhhhh, he's a magic man-' <em>There was a guitar solo as I stared into his eyes, my heart thudding hard in my chest.

"Scared?" he asked, sounding incredulous. "Of what exactly?"

I smiled nervously. "Not you... if that's what you're asking."

"Well then if it's not me, dearie, what could you possibly be scared of?" he asked with a raised brow and a wolfish grin.

"I guess... I guess I'm just scared to get my heart broken... _again_," I said through gritted teeth.

_'-"Come on home, girl" he said with a smile_  
><em>"I cast my spell of love on you<em>  
><em>A woman from a child"<em>  
><em>But try to understand, try to understand<em>  
><em>Ohhh, ohhhh, tryyy, try to understand<em>  
><em>Try, try, try to understand, he's a maaagic maaaan, ohhh yeah<em>  
><em>Oooooooooh, he got the magic hands-'<em> This time, a long instrumental solo with guitar, drums and cymbals took place.

"I don't want to hurt you," Mr. Gold said, his brown eyes reflecting a kind of concern that was typically not associated with his character. "To be honest... I need you, and that scares me."

"_You?_ Scared?" It was my turn to sound incredulous. He chuckled softly in response. "I know this is probably going to sound crazy seeing as I've only really just begun to get to know you," I started to say while we stood under the eves, watching the storm. "but there's this feeling that I can't explain... this... _spark _that I only feel when I'm around you," I said, suddenly feeling a bit self conscious. Mr. Gold looked at me the same way he had the other night when I was getting that sense of Deja Vu. He reached out and caressed my cheek, causing goosebumps to form on the surface of my skin. He was so attentive that he noticed them almost instantly, his trademark smirk appearing on his face.

As I looked at him, I couldn't quite figure out what it was about him that was so appealing... His eyes and brow were shaped in a way that almost gave him a sort of 'puppy-dog' look, yet his smile was what drew me in and what made him look menacing yet charming at the same time. His nose, however, was rather pointed and would probably be deemed unattractive on any other guy besides him. Yet something about all his features came together in a perfect way that made my heart splutter anytime I thought about him.

_'-Ohhhhhhhh, oh-oh-oh-ohhh-ohhh_  
><em>Ohhhhhhhh, oh-oh-oh-ohhh-ohhh<em>  
><em>Ohhhhhhhh, oh-oh-oh-ohhh-ohhh<em>  
><em>Ohhhhhhhh, oh-oh-oh-ohhh-ohhh-<em>' The heavy 80's-like synth continued on with the instrumental solo as the female singer sang in the background and the rain poured from the sky, lightning striking in the distance. While leaning on his cane, Mr. Gold reached out and pulled me closer to him.

"Tell me more about this spark," he crooned.

I smiled nervously. "Sometimes... I feel like I've done all this before."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Like, I feel _this_-" I said while gesturing towards him and I. "-has already happened once before." Mr. Gold chuckled in response and my cheeks burned red. "I told you it was crazy..." I said dismissively while dropping my gaze.

"I never said it was crazy," he replied and I looked at him again.

"But I know it doesn't make any sense either," I added.

"Since when does anything in this world really, truly make sense?" he asked and I stared at him for a long moment, deliberating his words.

"I s'pose that's true..." I mumbled, feeling relieved that he didn't think I was crazy and was actually trying to help rationalize my thoughts.

_'-"Come on home, girl" he said with a smile  
><em>_"You don't have to love me yet, let's get high a while"_  
><em>But try to understand, try to understand<em>  
><em>Try, try, try to understand, he's a magic maaaan, yeaaah, ohhhh.'<em> With a last few drum and guitar notes, the song came to an end, when all of the sudden- _FLASH-FLASH!_ Lightning illuminated the entire sky, blinding me momentarily, and I was hit with a memory that was not mine, nor was it from this time. I was no longer in Mr. Gold's house... I was in a poorly lit cell where an impish man with amazingly hypnotic eyes stood before me. _Was I having a mental breakdown?_ I could feel my thoughts and emotions being torn in several different directions at once. I didn't know what was happening..._ Was I having a seizure..?_

The mysterious man leaned into me with his weight, pushing me onto my back until he had me pinned down in the pile of straw. _FLASH!_ I was back again, back in Mr. Gold's house standing out on the porch. I blinked, realizing that he was hovering over me, pinning my body against the railing. I was breathing heavier than normal and he noticed it, too. But before I could do anything- _FLASH!_ I was gone again and the mysterious man with hypnotizing eyes and skin that glowed like diamonds, raised his brow at me seductively, our bodies intertwined in a hot, sweaty entanglement. I was teetering over the edge of bliss and then it happened; I didn't know what was happening, but one thing was for sure, I was climaxing hard and screaming out.**_  
><em>**

_"RUMPELSTILTSKIN!_" I cried out, almost like I had known his name all along. My body shuttered with pleasure as I rode out the waves of the unexpected orgasm. Mr. Gold stopped dead in his tracks and he stared into my eyes with an utterly shocked expression on his face. The look was that of one I had never seen before. If I hadn't known better, I'd have thought it was fear, but the deep, seductive grin he followed up with, threw me completely off.

_KABOOM! _Thunder rumbled overhead and without warning, Mr. Gold closed the small gap between our faces, his soft lips meeting mine with such an intense passion that I had never felt nor known before... My mind was racing, flitting back and forth between what was happening now and what was happening in my distant, yet not so distant memories. I was confused beyond recognition, but I was also in ecstasy. Unlike any other time before, I was finally able to just lose myself, completely giving in to the moment. He grabbed my hips in a way that triggered yet another memory of the same way that Rumpelstiltskin had once grabbed me.

Mr. Gold stood upright, still keeping my body pinned between his and the railing as he began to loosen his tie before tossing it to the ground and unbuttoning his dress shirt. My heart hammered away like mad as I watched him remove his shirt, exposing his bare chest to me; he wasn't a very big man, he was built with a more graceful structure, though still maintained just the right amount of muscle to look strong. Although he had the majority of my body pinned with his, I was still able to freely move my arms, so I took advantage of it and ran my hands along his abs and pecs. He closed his eyes the moment my hands came into contact with his skin and I couldn't help but smile ever so slightly.

"I'm getting the feeling that I've done this before," I said, unable to keep my mind off my 'newly-found' memories of a place and a time that seemed too far away to possibly be real... Yet, here they were, pervading my thoughts and beckoning for me to just solve the puzzle.

Mr. Gold chuckled. "Perhaps because you_ have_, dearie."_ FLASH! _Another memory of Rumpelstiltskin calling me 'dearie'. I had closed my eyes without even realizing it and could see the man as clearly as if he were here with me right now. His burgundy and gold rimmed eyes that bored into mine... his iridescent greenish, gold skin glimmering in the flickering torch light... the sound of his sing-song like voice... My eyes shot open and I was abruptly met with Mr. Gold's brown eyes staring back into mine. My breath hitched in my throat and I gasped loudly.

"_You-?_" I faltered, my voice catching in my throat as I was struck with an epiphany. I didn't know _how_ it could be possible..? It made absolutely _no_ sense... But somehow... Somehow I _knew_ Mr. Gold was the same man that I once knew to be Rumpelstiltskin and I... I was his-

"_Little Princess_," he crooned, his voice a fair bit deeper in this world than it had been in the other. "you've returned to me," he said and I forced myself to stop fighting the overload of memories that were now flooding my brain at an alarming rate.

My name wasn't Tia... It was Sarah. I had once sought out Rumpelstiltskin in the middle of a late Summer night to strike a deal with him. It was all coming back to me now... I moved to stand up straight and Mr. Gold allowed me to. I placed both my hands on either side of his face as I stared into his now brown eyes. He was so very different from the man I once knew him to be, and on top of the memories that had been created in this world, I felt like two people trapped in one body.

"Rumpelstiltskin," I breathed, saying his name once again. He closed his eyes as if it had been an eternity since he last heard the sound of his name being spoken. He turned his head to the side and planted soft kisses on the palm of my hand causing my heart to flutter at the sensation. When he opened his eyes, he looked at me with such longing. I smiled at him and bit my lower lip, trying to fight back the yearning I, too felt for him. "You're more of a gentleman in this world," I said, pointing out something I had noticed.

Mr. Gold chuckled softly and smirked at me. "My dear, I'm not sure _how_, or _what_ caused you to regain your memories, but right now... I don't really care." He captured my lips with his in another passionate kiss, only this time, I was able to fully immerse myself in it... No distractions. Amazing sensations were stirred deep within me, both physically _and_ mentally. He ran his hands through my hair while I ran my hands along his chest. "I've missed you," he said, breaking the kiss just long enough to speak. "I only care about one thing now... and that's _pleasure_," he said in his seductive Scottish brogue. "...Yours and mine."

* * *

><p><strong>PLEASE REVIEW! They are my motivation! THANK YOU! Hope you enjoyed this Chapter. :)<strong>

**~Satine~**


	7. Chapter 7: Soul Meets Body

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: For a more heightened experience, I HIGHLY recommend opening up either 4shared dot com OR mp3skull dot com in a separate tab to listen to the following songs while reading:**

**"Lose It" BY: Austra.**

**"There's No Way" BY: Sam Bisbee, PERFORMED BY: Alyssa Jang, FROM: Don't Go In The Woods (2010 film).**

**"Soul Meets Body" BY: Death Cab For Cutie.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Once Upon a Time, nor Rumpeltstiltskin. This is SOLELY for NON-profit ENTERTAINMENT purposes ONLY. Respective rights belong to Disney's ABC.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7 - "Soul Meets Body"<strong>

**The Dwarves' Mines**

Rumpelstiltskin lifted me up off the ground and turned with me in his arms, putting my back to the bars as our kiss grew more intense by the second. He parted my lips and explored my mouth with his tongue as he started to undo the buttons on my blouse with one hand. I decided to help him out by reaching behind me and grabbing the bars to help support some of my weight.

He grinned at me and started to plant kisses on my neck, moving down along my collar bone, causing me to moan aloud on accident. It had been so long since I'd been touched. He continued kissing along my neck and ears as he undid the last button, and I shrugged off the top half of my dress, exposing myself to him as the fabric fell to my ankles. He held me up with one arm and ran his free hand along the curvature of my body.

"You're very gorgeous," he said in observation, his burgundy and gold rimmed eyes piercing my greenish blue ones. I could hear a kind of sincerity behind his words that I had never heard from my boyfriend, or any man before... My cheeks burned hot.

"So are you," I breathed. Rumpelstiltskin chortled, goosebumps forming on my skin in response to the sound. I wasn't sure if he was laughing because he didn't believe me and I got a sudden urge to prove it to him. "_Feel_," I said as I took his hand and pressed it between my legs. He didn't break eye contact with me, but both of our breathing went uneven as he caressed my clit like one would a delicate flower petal. _"Mmhn_," I moaned.

"You're so wet," he said, sounding half dazed. Smiling to myself, I used my free hand to reach down and grab between his legs where I found the source of his blood loss; an erection just begging to be sated. I felt his body tense up the moment I squeezed, but he didn't stop me from undoing the ties on his pants. Instantly, his erection sprung forth from his tight trousers and I quickly began to stroke him.

"You're so big," I mumbled shyly. He crushed his lips to mine again, this time in a more passionate manner than before as we explored each others bodies with our hands and tongues.

Rain pelted the cave outside, the cold spiked bars a cool contrast to his fingers, hot as they suddenly slipped inside me. I gasped, the sound being drowned out by thunder crashing overhead, and reverberating as the cave wall and bars behind me shook ever so slightly. I felt my cheeks flush again as I saw his eyes drop and he took in my form while his fingers rapidly slipped in and out of me.

I writhed around unable to remain still, my heart pounding madly the whole time. All of the sudden, he pulled his fingers out and braced me against the bars with one of his hands between me and the cold spikes. My breathing was a mess, as was my mind and I barely had the time to process what was happening until I felt him thrust into me with his throbbing member.

"_Uhhn!" _I cried out at the same time he did, our voices melding into one. For me it was a mixture of both pain and pleasure. He gently nibbled on my earlobe causing the pleasure to win out over the pain as he continued to thrust deeper and _deeper _until he was _completely _inside of me. Rumpelstiltskin's eyes bored into mine as he paused a few moments, allowing me to adjust to having _every inch _of him inside of me. And for that I was grateful.

"Is this what you wanted?" he said in a tone of voice that held a note of pride. My cheeks were already fully flushed, but if they hadn't been, I'd have blushed even more.

All I could manage was a nod. Suddenly, he gave one quick thrust, causing my entire body to spasm and my back to arch as a loud gasp escaped my lips. I released the bars behind me and involuntarily clutched at his shoulders as my legs tightened around his waist. He smirked in response before he cupped my ass in his palms, turned and brought me over to the corner of his cell.

He released me, my naked body slipping free from his erection, the feeling almost unbearable as I fell into a large pile of hay at his feet. At first I pouted playfully, but with an abrupt shift to a teasing smile, I looked up at him. Emboldened by the darkness and the only source of light coming from the torch, plus with the storm raging outside, I boldly ran my hands down my own body, touching my breasts teasingly. My stomach tightened when I heard him let out a groan.

I held my hand out to him, and he took it, so I pulled him to me, the two of us falling back in the pile of hay. I immediately shifted my weight so that I could be on top, and with another smile, I climbed completely onto him. I straddled his hips so that I could guide his throbbing erection inside of me once again. Slowly, I rocked back and forth as I slid downward until I could feel myself bottom-out at his pelvic bone.

* * *

><p>As we stood together out on the second-story porch of Mr. Gold's house, it continued to storm overhead. Every so often the wind would blow the rain sideways and we'd be sprayed with a bit of mist, but it wasn't enough to ever really soak us. I ran my hands along his chest - his skin so warm to the touch that I didn't want to stop.<p>

Finally, I wrapped my arms around his neck and leaned into him, capturing his lips with mine. Another song started up on the stereo inside the house, this one with a keyboard and drums while Mr. Gold's mouth eagerly explored mine, our hands feverishly working to undress each other as a crooning female vocalist began to sing.

_'Don't wanna' looose yaaa', don't wanna' looose  
>Don't wanna' looose yaaa', don't wanna' looose-'<em> He found the zipper on the back of my dress and tugged as I undid his belt buckle and the zipper on his pants.

_'-I never kneeew yaaa', I never kneeew  
>I never kneeew yaaa', I never kneeew-'<em> We broke apart just long enough for him to strip off his pants and for me to shimmy out of my dress. _FLASH-FLASH! _Lightning illuminated the sky, lighting up our silhouettes as we tossed our clothes to the porch floor before quickly resuming physical contact. I was so turned on, I practically felt like a hormonal teenager. _KA-BOOM! _Thunder rumbled loudly overhead.

_'-Your body's harmfuuul, the very shaaape  
>The cracks are deeperrr on every plaaate<em>

_Ah ah, oh ah, oh ah, oh ah, oh ah, ahh  
>Ah ah, oh ah, oh ah, oh ah, oh ah, ahh-' <em>as the female vocalist crooned in a bouncy way, we kissed feverishly standing out on the porch and reveled in the sensation of each others bodies against one another. His skin felt _sooo_ good against mine that it caused shivers to dance up and down my spine. Mr. Gold ran his hands along the curvature of my hips and cupped my butt in his palms before suddenly lifting me up onto the railing without even breaking the kiss. I had to give him credit; he was a lot stronger than he looked.

_'-Ah ah, oh ah, oh ah, oh ah, oh ah, ahh  
>(Ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh)-' <em> I smiled as an exhilarating rush of adrenalin flooded my veins and I wrapped my legs around his waist, feeling his arousal on my thigh through the fabric of his underwear. _God, I wanted him. _He undid the back of my bra, exposing my bare chest, and paused for a moment to take in the sight. _FLASH-FLASH! _The lightning lit up his eyes and I could see that they looked momentarily glazed over with content before he started to kiss the soft curve of my neck. A rumble of thunder gently shook the foundation of the house. I shuttered when his hands cupped my breasts, and I felt my nipples harden against his touch. Still perched on the railing, I pressed myself closer to him, _needing more_.

_'-Ah ah, oh ah, oh ah, oh ah, oh ah, ahh  
>(Ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh)<em>

_Don't wanna' looose yaaa', don't wanna' looose  
>Don't wanna' looose yaaa', don't wanna' looose-' <em>I tugged playfully at the band of his underwear and felt him smile against my lips in response before he removed them. With my heart beating faster than ever, I pulled my panties off, too.

_'-I get impatieeent with every wooord  
>The more you aaask meee, the more I've heeeard-' <em>We kicked our under garments away, not even bothering to care where they landed. And we were now both _completely_ naked, out on his porch in the middle of a rain storm. I couldn't help but chuckle softly at how crazy it was. What if someone were to see us..?

_'-This is a thiiirst thaaat I've never haaad  
>I've never bled forrr another maaan<em>

_Ah ah, oh ah, oh ah, oh ah, oh ah, ahh  
>Ah ah, oh ah, oh ah, oh ah, oh ah, ahh-' <em>As the music played on, Mr. Gold paused again to take in the sight of me as I sat perched on the railing and I used the opportunity to do the same as I took in his form; my cheeks flushed a deep shade of red when my eyes reached his manhood and I could see that he was in fact, _very well_ endowed. One might say especially for a man of his smaller stature.

_'-Ah ah, oh ah, oh ah, oh ah, oh ah, ahh  
>(Ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh)-' <em>He positioned himself between my legs and pressed himself against me, his throbbing member causing my breathing to become jagged. He stroked my clit with the head of his penis, causing me to moan involuntarily. I could feel myself growing wetter and wetter as my desire for him intensified.

_'-Ah ah, oh ah, oh ah, oh ah, oh ah, ahh  
>(Ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh)-'<em>

"Is this what you wanted?" he breathed, and my pulse jumped. I quickly looked into his gorgeous brown eyes and found myself almost getting lost in them.

I grinned in response, remembering the first time he had said that to me. "More than anything," I replied.

_'-Don't wanna' looose yaaa', don't wanna' looose  
>Don't wanna' looose yaaa', don't wanna' looose-' <em>With one thrust of his hips, I felt him slip inside of me just a little. A loud gasp and another moan escaped my lips as I clutched onto him tightly, my nails digging into his shoulders a little; it was a little painful, but it also felt very good at the same time. Without even realizing it, I was cringing, but Mr. Gold noticed and ceased movement to assess. I felt so _full_ inside, that I thought I might burst. The sensation was unbelievable.

_'-My face screams  
>My face screams<br>My face screams without an emotion-' _The music continued in the background. _FLASH-FLASH!_ Lightning danced across the sky, but the thunder that followed was only a low rumble - the storm was moving away.

"_You're so big_," I breathed. Mr. Gold grinned broadly in response and much to my chagrin, it wasn't the first time I had said that.

"_You're so tight_," he whispered into my ear before nibbling on my earlobe. Another involuntary moan came from me and slowly, I began to move against him. He thrust his hips, syncing up with my rhythm, driving deeper inside me each time. Both of our breathing became ragged.

_'-In the darkness comes another, another  
>Hold her by the thumbs, thee other, thee other<em>

(Don't wanna' looose ya', don't wanna' looose  
>Don't wanna' looose ya', don't wanna' looose)<p>

_Ah ah, oh ah, oh ah, oh ah, oh ah, ahh  
>Ah ah, oh ah, oh ah, oh ah, oh ah, ahh-' <em>I cried out loud as my body shuddered with pleasure and in the process, caused me to accidentally thrust _hard_, shoving his pulsating erection further inside me. A moan escape _his _lips this time, a sound I had never heard before, but admittedly had found myself recently fantasizing about almost every night as I lay in bed.

_'-Ah ah, oh ah, oh ah, oh ah, oh ah, ahh  
>(Ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh)-' <em>I could barely breathe, the pleasure was so intense. Mr. Gold's hands tightened on my hips, and I leaned forward to kiss him, _needing_ to feel his lips against mine. And the very moment they touched mine, I felt my body convulse around his cock. His body spasms combined with mine and we shared a climax beyond anything I'd ever experienced. It was as if I'd lost all control.

_'-Ah ah, oh ah, oh ah, oh ah, oh ah, ahh  
>(Ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh, ohh)<em>

_In the darkness comes another, another  
>Hold her by the thumbs, thee other, thee other.'<em>The song playing on the stereo inside the house came to an end, and I could hear just how heavily we were both breathing. I chuckled softly and opened my eyes. Mr. Gold was gazing at me with a lopsided grin on his face and sweat beading from his forehead.

With both his hands still placed on my hips, he lifted me off of the railing before carefully setting me down, his member slipping from inside me in the process. Now that the euphoria was beginning to wane, I could feel the shyness starting to creep back in. He bent down to retrieve our clothing from the floor, but I caught his arm in mid-motion. His brown eyes quickly flicked back to me with a curious expression on his face.

Without giving it much thought, I wrapped my arms around his waist and pressed my naked body against his in a warm embrace. With my head rested against his chest, I held onto him just breathing in his indescribable scent and reveling in the build up of oxytocin in my brain. He kissed the top of my head and hugged me back. A few long moments passed until I started to feel a little embarrassed. That, and my butt was getting cold.

Reluctantly, I pulled away and went to retrieve my discarded clothing from the porch floor as did he. We got dressed and stepped back inside his house. I couldn't explain why, but now that the deed had been done, I didn't feel quite as out of place as I had before. I crossed the room and climbed onto his king-sized bed where I watched him close the porch door before turning around to face me. While sitting at the end of the bed, I playfully patted the spot beside me.

"Made yourself at home, I see," Mr. Gold acknowledged while closing the gap between us. I smiled and nodded. He climbed onto the bed beside me and chuckled at my silence. "There's no need to be shy anymore. Especially not after I've seen _every _inch of you, my dear."

I turned beat red causing him to laugh. "I can't help it," I mumbled. "You make me-"

"-horny?" he interjected with a suggestive wiggling of his brow. My heart palpitated and my entire face burned hot.

"Wha-? No! That's not-!" I spluttered, suddenly flabbergasted. He continued to laugh at me. "I mean yes, but that's irrelevant-"

"Oho! Irrelevant, eh? You sure didn't think it was irrelevant just ten minutes ago when I had you pinned with my-"

"_Shhh!_" I hissed as I tried to cover his mouth with one of my hands, my cheeks red as two apples. Mr. Gold looked like he was enjoying every minute of my embarrassment. "_Okay, okay! _You know what I mean!" I said while grinning, still red faced.

"Certainly," he replied. "I just enjoy seeing you squirm," he added smugly.

I shook my head playfully at him. "Oh, of course you do." A nice song came on the stereo right then, with a guitar and female vocalist.

_"The color of your eyyyes  
>Is the color<br>I can't... describe_

_There's no waaay  
>There's no waaay<br>There's no waaay-' _As the female vocalist repeated the verse a couple times, I gazed deeply into Mr. Gold's eyes, thinking intently about the lyrics. Suddenly I was smiling to myself.

"Heh, it's kinda' funny..." I began.

"Hmm?" he replied softly.

"The lyrics to this song..." I went on.

"What about them?" he asked calmly.

"They make me think of _your_ eyes. They're so brown now, but I know they didn't used to be," I said in curious observation.

_'-The shapes the clouds make  
>And your finger<br>Pointin'... aaat the sun_

_There's no waaay  
>There's no waaay<br>There's no waaay-'_

"How astute of you," he replied and I suddenly felt a little self conscious. The storm outside was beginning to die down now, but the wind was starting to pick up.

"Sorry, I know that was rather obvious, I'm just not used to having all these memories..." I said in defense. Mr. Gold smiled at me.

"I didn't mean any offense by it, dearie. Believe me, it's been far but exciting being the only one besides Regina to recall the truth about everyone's _real_ identity. It's nice to have some worth while company for a change," he replied.

_'-Raaaindrops fall on my windsill  
>And wind rattles my... window paaane<br>When the sun finally shines again  
>I know I'm gonna' miss the raaain<em>

_There's no waaay  
>There's no waaay<br>There's no waaay  
>There's no waaay-' <em>the female vocalist repeated the verse several times again.

"I still can hardly fathom everything..." I said, looking a little dazed. All of the sudden I felt a hand on my cheek, snapping me from my reverie. I turned and looked into Mr. Gold's eyes, my pulse quickening. I placed my hand over his, the warmth was welcoming.

_'-Look whatchu' done to me  
>I'm sorry... I hurt you<br>Forgiiive me." _The song in the background came to an end.

"So, uh... do you..." I faltered, and cleared my throat. "...do you remember _everything?_" I asked curiously.

Mr. Gold chuckled. "Yes," he replied while removing his hand from my face.

I involuntarily swallowed in response. "Oh..."

"Why?" he asked with a raised brow. I paused, feeling my cheeks flush once more.

"Well I... I, uh, seem to remember coming to you..." I mumbled, feeling awkward and not wanting to finish the sentence, nor knowing _how_ to.

"Are you referring to our deal, dearie?" Mr. Gold said with a wolfish grin that caused my heart to spasm momentarily. A song with a male vocalist started up with drums, guitar and tambourine right then.

_'I want to live where soul meets body_  
><em> And let the sun wrap its arms around me a<em>_nd  
>Bathe my skin in water cool and cleansing an<em>_d feel  
>Feel what it's like to be new<em>

_ 'Cause in my head there's a Greyhound station_  
><em> Where I send my thoughts to far off destinations<em>  
><em> So they may have a chance of finding a place<em>_ where they're  
>Far more suited than here <em>

_Bah-da, bah-da-bah-bah  
>Bah-da, bah-bah-bah-da-bah-bah<br>Bah-da, bah-bah-bah-da-bah-bah  
>Ba-da, bah-da-bah-bah-' <em>the singer vocalized to bouncy beat of the song before it went into a guitar break.

"So you do remember..." I mumbled. He laughed, the sound startling me a little.

_"Remember? _My dear, what do you think we were just doing?" he asked rhetorically. I blinked, feeling a bit dumbfounded. Suddenly I felt confused... Was what just happened between us solely because of the deal I had struck with him as my former self in the Fairy-tale world? I felt naive and conflicted. I knew that having sex with him didn't mean we were in love. I wasn't that stupid... But I _was_ dumb enough to have allowed myself to think that it meant something more.

_'-And I cannot guess what we'll discover  
><em>_When we turn the dirt with our palms cupped like shovels_  
><em> But I know our filthy hands can wash one another's<em>  
><em> And not one speck will remain<em>

_ And I do believe it's true_  
><em> That there are roads left in both of our shoes<em>  
><em> But if the silence takes you<em>  
><em> Then I hope it takes me too<em>

_So brown eyes I hold you near_  
><em> 'Cause you're thee only song I want to hear<em>  
><em> A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere<em>

_ Where soul meets bodyyy_  
><em> Where soul meets bodyyy<em>  
><em> Where soul meets bodyyy-' <em>the male vocalist repeated the lyrics a few times.

"Oh... right, of course," I replied, however, Mr. Gold's eyes lingered on me for several long moments that ticked by in silence. I forced a small smile and looked at him. "It was..." I faltered for the correct choice of word. Things like- amazing, sensual and passionate kept coming to mind, yet somehow I just didn't see any of those deemed as appropriate for the situation. "...Intense," I finally settled on, flashing him a grin that I hoped registered as playful.

The pleased look on his face told me I had succeeded, and I felt a wave of relief... And suddenly rather tired. What time was it? I glanced at the clock on the nightstand and it read, 4:14AM. I groaned as I buried my face in my hands.

"Why don't you spend the night?" he suggested. I thought about it for a moment before nodding.

"Thank you..." I mumbled.

"It's no problem," he replied as he moved to the top half of the bed.

_'-And I do believe it's true_  
><em> That there are roads left in both of our shoes<em>  
><em> If the silence takes you<em>  
><em> Then I hope it takes me too<em>

_So brown eyes I hold you near_  
><em>'Cause you're the only song I want to hear<em>  
><em> A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere<em>-' everything cease but guitar and tambourine. I tentatively climbed over to the spot beside him and slid underneath the silk sheets. A contented sigh escaped my lips before I could help myself.

"You like?" he asked, his voice sounding seductive, even though I knew he wasn't trying to be.

"I like very much," I replied. "Amongst other things..." I added and caught Mr. Gold grinning broadly as he turned out the light. "Goodnight, Rumpelstiltskin." I said, his name almost feeling charged with energy as I spoke it.

"Goodnight, Sarah," he replied, and the sound of him saying my name- my _real _name sent shivers up my spine.

_'-A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere_  
><em> A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere<em>  
><em> A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere.' <em>the only instrument playing was the tambourine 'til the song came to an end and I drifted off to sleep in easily the most comfortable bed I'd ever slept in in my entire life.

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><p>PLEASE REVIEW! Hope you enjoyed this chapter, Dearies! ^_~<p>

~Satine~


	8. Chapter 8: This Is How It Goes

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**** I recommend to enhance your reading experience by opening a new tab and going to my FanFiction profile so that you can click on my 4shared link which will take you to a folder with music from this Chapter and others, as well.**

**Songs used, "Porcelain" & "Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?" BY: Moby.**

**"Crave" BY: Duologue.**

**"This Is How It Goes (Kaskade Remix)" BY: Haley.**

**DISCLAIMER:**** I do NOT own Once Upon a Time or any of their characters. They belong to the respective rights of Disney ABC and this is solely for entertainment NON-profit purposes ONLY.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 8 - "This Is How It Goes"<strong>

**Storybrooke, Maine**

I woke up the following morning with a bit of a startle as I sat upright in the king sized bed. My pulse was racing as I suddenly recalled the events of last night and I felt blood beginning to flood my cheeks. I glanced to my right and with a great leap of my heart, I saw Mr. Gold laying there fast asleep; a sight I had never seen before. For a moment, I was frozen as I just sat there and stared at him. He was gorgeous.

Reluctantly, I looked away and glanced at the clock on the dresser; it read 9:51AM. With a small sigh, I moved to get out of the bed as carefully as I could without waking him. I tip-toed across the room when all of the sudden I heard the sound of someone clear their throat. With another start to my heart, I quickly spun around to see Gold sitting upright, his arms outstretched.

"Oh, you're awake..." I mumbled, feeling a bit awkward. He smirked at me as I watched him climb out of the bed and retrieve a clean dress shirt from his closet.

"I trust you slept well? Though I do hope you were at least going to have the decency to leave me a note," he said as he shrugged on one of his finely tailored suit coats, flashing me a coy look in the process. I turned a deep shade of red.

"I-I didn't want to wake you. You looked so peaceful..." I explained. Mr. Gold chuckled softly as he put on a blue tie that went well with his shirt while looking at his reflection in the mirror.

"Actually, I had wanted to talk to you about something," he said, my pulse suddenly quickening.

"Uh-oh," I teased, though a part of me was a tad bit worried what he was about to say... Once he finished fiddling with his tie, he turned around to face me.

"T'is nothing to worry about, dearie. I assure you," he said after gauging my expression and taking a few steps toward me, closing the gap between us. "I just wanted to tell you that there is something very important that I need to take care of tonight and I'm afraid I will be unreachable until tomorrow morning, at the earliest."

"Oh..?" I replied, sounding somewhat dazed. That wasn't so bad... Though I knew I was inevitably going to miss him, even if it was only for a day. But I also couldn't help to wonder what he had to do that would make it so that he was unreachable..? I think Gold could see my brain working furiously by my furrowed brow, and he leaned in to kiss the top of my head.

"Don't think about it too hard. I won't be gone very long. You most likely won't even notice I'm missing," he said.

"...I doubt that," I mumbled under my breath.

Mr. Gold smirked. "I'll be back before you know it."

* * *

><p>Gold had dropped me off a few blocks away from my apartment complex and I was grateful not to have to walk the entire distance. I was actually just a tad bit sore from last night's escapade. It had truly been a long time since I had been intimate... with anyone. A somewhat dopey smile fell across my face as I made my way up to my apartment thinking about everything. Along the way, however, I couldn't help but notice Trent's car wasn't in the parking lot, and I felt a small pang of guilt as I stepped over the threshold, closing the door behind me.<p>

Was he out looking for me..? I shook my head. No. He hadn't cared the last time I was gone over night, so why should he now? I dismissed the thought. I was still feeling rather tired, so I headed into the bedroom where I switched into my pajamas and climbed into the sheets with my MP3 player in hand. The sheets which were noticeably less comfortable than the ones that were on Gold's king-sized bed.

I popped my ear buds in and sighed; it was a mingle of content, yet slight sadness. I didn't want to face my thoughts, though I realized that it would only make them manifest in my dreams. Most likely in the form of a nightmare. I hit 'Shuffle' and a song started up with synthesized sounds and a steady, but mellow beat that slowly built up as more instruments joined in one at a time. I closed my eyes and rolled over, trying to get some rest.

_'Hey... hey... hey...-' _ a male vocalist sang in the backdrop as piano notes played through the ear buds.

_'-Woman, it's alright-' _the lyrics were repeated twice.

_'-In my dreams I'm dying all the time...  
>Then I wake its kaleidoscopic mind...<br>I never meant to hurt you...  
>I never meant to lie...-'<em> the beautiful piano keys played again.

_'-So this is goodbye...  
>This is goodbye<em>

_Hey... hey... hey...  
>Woman, it's alright-' <em>the male vocalist repeated the verse twice along with more piano notes.

'_-Tell the truth you never wanted me..._

Hey... hey... hey...  
>Woman, it's alright<p>

_Tell me...  
>Mmmmmmmmmmm-'<em> there were beautiful piano notes along with a female vocalist humming gently in the backdrop of the song followed by an instrumental solo.

_'-In my dreams I'm jealous all the time...  
>Then I wake I'm going out of my mind...<br>Going out of my... mind-' _everything except the piano stopped playing.

_'-Hey... hey...hey...  
>Woman, it's alright.'<em> the rest of the instruments returned as the verse was repeated over and over followed by more beautiful piano notes. The song came to a slow end and I drifted off to sleep.

When I awoke several hours later, it was with a start to my heart. I sat bolt upright in the bed as I realized that I could hear the stereo blaring music in the other room. Feeling slightly dazed, I climbed out of the sheets and made my way into the living room with a drowsy look on my face. I rounded the corner and sure enough, there was Trent sitting on the couch, listening to music. I blinked a few times and rubbed my eyes.

"Oh, so you decided to wake up after all? Where've you been all night, huh?" he asked in a snarky tone. My pulse sped up and I didn't know what to say in response. An intense song came on the radio right then with very heavy bass and music that felt a bit unnerving.

'_Let me see  
>It's as simple as A to B<br>There's a line that goes from you to me  
>And I don't know where-'<em>

"_Well?_" Trent asked impatiently.

_'-Just gimmie what I craaave  
>I got myself a little taaaste<br>And I just got so depraaaved  
>I'm gonna' go nowhere-' <em>the male vocalist sang in a distorted voice, the lyrics paralleling my situation uncomfortably as I thought about how I had seen him at the Club with Amanda and how I had gone home with Mr. Gold.

_'-There's somethin' in the waaater  
>'Cause everybody's ouuut in the niiight<br>They're scratchin' with their fingernails  
>Until it turns their mind<em>

_You can fight the huuunger  
>Fight it 'til you're ouuut of your mind<br>'Til you're just anoootherrr  
>Who falls behind-' <em>

"I stayed at a friend's house," I replied finally. Trent just glared at me.

"Which friend?" he asked.

I sucked in a deep breath. "Mary Margaret."

_'-Let me see  
>It's as simple as one, two, three<br>There's a line that goes from you to me  
>That I don't know where-'<em>

"Well I find that rather odd," he replied.

"Why's that?" I asked, playing dumb.

_'-So just gimmie what I craaave  
>I got myself a little taaaste<br>And I was getting so depraaaved  
>God, I don't know where<em>

_There's somethin' in the waaater  
>'Cause everybody's ouuut in the niiight<br>They're scratching with their fingernails  
>Until it turns out right<em>

_And you can fight the huuunger  
>Fight it 'til you're out of your mind<br>Until you're just anotherrr  
>Who falls behiiind-' <em>the song went into a type of dubstep as the lead singer vocalized to the heavy, tense instrumental solo.

"I ran into Mary-Margaret this morning at Granny's Diner and she didn't mention a word about you," Trent said.

I swallowed involuntarily before quickly recovering with a forced smile while shaking my head. "Well that's not a surprise. I told her not to tell anyone where I was," I lied.

Trent continued to glare at me suspiciously. "And why would you do that?" he asked. I paused, my mind racing for any straws I could grab onto.

_'-There's somethin' in the waaater  
>'Cause everybody's ouuut in the niiight<br>They're scratchin' with their fingernails  
>Until it turns out right-'<em>

"Isn't it obvious?" I replied. He stared at me, waiting.

_'-And you can fight your huuunger  
>Fight it 'til you're ouuut of your mind<br>And you'll be anoootherrr  
>Who falls behiiind.' <em>The song went into another chaotic instrumental solo.

"We've been having so many problems lately that I just thought we could both do with a little... space." That seemed to be the magic word, because Trent suddenly unfurrowed his brow and nodded ever so slightly.

"Well, I still don't appreciate you pulling this kind of crap, Tia," he complained and I looked at him. The sound of hearing my Storybrooke name spoken aloud just felt so _wrong _now. The song got even more chaotic if that were even possible, and my mind was reeling. "I work all fuckin' week long, the _least_ you could do is tell me when you plan on having your little sleepovers," he said as he snagged a beer from the table and took a few gulps.

A few moments went by as the song ended and a new one came on the stereo with more piano as the leading instrument. Though, this time with a more dramatic beat. Before I knew it, my chest was heaving and my thoughts kept going back to the image that was burned in my minds eye of him at the Club with Amanda...

_'Why does my heaaart... feel so bad?  
>Why does my soul... feel so bad?-' <em>sang a male vocalist.

"_And why's that?_ So you can have your little _whore_ spend the night here without having to worry about me showing up at a random time and catching you in the middle of the act?" I blurted before I could help myself.

_'-Why does my heaaart... feel so bad?  
>Why does my soul... feel so bad?-'<em>

Trent's jaw literally dropped, but when he finally recovered, he looked pissed. "_What the fuck are you talking about!_" he shouted

_'-Why does my heaaart... feel so bad?  
>Why does my soul... feel so bad?-'<em>

"Don't play dumb with me, Trent. I _know _you've been running around with that Amanda bitch all week long behind my back," I said, fuming with rage.

_'-Why does my heaaart... feel so bad?  
>Why does my soul... feel so bad?-' <em>sang the male vocalist.

"_Wow, you're psychotic, Tia. Why would I be stupid enough to ever do that?" _he defended. I scoffed loudly. I was appalled that he could lie to me like this.

_'-Theeese open doors  
>Theeese open doors<br>Theeese open doors  
>Theeese open doors, ahh-'<em> a female vocalist repeated in the backdrop many times over. The dramatic flair to the song seeming to fit perfectly with the circumstances. Music was more true to me than Trent ever had been... or ever would be.

_"GEE, I DON'T KNOW! WHY DON'T YOU ASK YOURSELF THAT, YOU GODDAMN LIAR!" _I shouted, unable to keep calm. Instead of looking guilty, Trent merely looked enraged.

_'-Why does my heaaart, (why does my heart)  
>Feel so bad? (feel so bad)<br>Why does my soul, (why does my soul)  
>Feel so bad? (feel so bad)-' <em>the male vocalistrepeated the verse over again.

"_I'M NOT CHEATING ON YOU, TIA!_" he bellowed back.

"_I DON'T BELIEVE YOU!_" I retorted. There was a brief pause in the piano and durms as the female vocalist sang and the techno music took center stage.

_'-Theeese open doors  
>Theeese open doors<br>Theeese open doors, ahh-"_ the female vocalist repeated the verse over and over again.

"I can't believe you'd lie to me like this," I said through gritted teeth, and hot tears that brimmed and stung my eyes.

_"And I can't believe you'd accuse me of this!" _he replied, sticking to his story even though I had seen the turth with my own two eyes. I turned and stormed back into the bedroom where I pulled my suitcase out of the closet and began to pack it. Trent followed me into the room and stood in the doorway watching me. _"This is ridiculous. Why don't you just stop?" _he said, though instead of sounding sad, he still sounded angry. Like everything was _my_ fault.

_'-Why does my heaaart... feel so bad?  
>Why does my soul... feel so bad?' <em>The song came to an end and I had had enough.

"Why don't you just leave me the fuck alone?" I retorted as I went to shove past him, but he wouldn't move. "_Get out of my way!" _I screamed.

"No," he said, only making me more blind with rage. I looked at him with wide eyes.

"_Get-out-of-my-way_," I repeated in a dangerous tone, but he didn't budge. "_FINE!" _I shouted as I barreled into him as hard as I could. This time I had managed to knock him aside so that I could get by with my suitcase. I tossed it toward the front door and turned back to get dressed.

"_I SWEAR TO GOD, TIA, IF YOU DON'T STOP THIS SHIT RIGHT NOW-!" _Trent went on, but I cut across him.

"-You'll what? _Go fuck a whore?" _I said, my voice growing shrill. "TOO LATE, YOU'VE ALREADY DONE THAT!" I said while rummaging through my dresser drawer for a clean shirt and pair of pants. _SMASH!_I jumped, my heart faltering as I spun around only to see a vase that we had bought together when we first started dating now laying shattered to pieces on the floor by the wall. I looked at Trent and shook my head. He was heaving with rage. "I hope you know I'm not cleaning that up," I said in a calm voice, taking everything I could muster to stay within that range of tone.

"_Where the hell are you going?_" he demanded as I snagged my MP3 player and headed back into the living room with him barking at my heels.

"No clue," I retorted without looking at him.

"I'll call Mary Margaret and tell her you're on your way then," he replied through gritted teeth.

_"Don't bother! I'm not going to Mary Margaret's!" _I snapped as I grabbed my suitcase and opened the front door.

"Tia, don't do this," Trent said. I paused in the doorway and looked at him.

"Trent,_ you're _the one who did this. _Not me_," I replied before shutting the door behind me and walking off into the slowly setting sun.

I was livid and over-emotional, and all I could think to do was throw my ear buds in and listen to music as I made my way toward the thicket of trees in the distance that I knew to contain Mr. Gold's cabin. I hit 'Shuffle' on my MP3 player and the first song that popped on had a bouncy beat. Something to get my mind into the rhythm of the long walk that was ahead of me. A female started vocalizing to the soft techno music.

_'So we're stuck in this moment of time  
>Two worlds together, but they won't combiiine<br>Full of life, fold it away  
>Emotion that will make you staaay<em>

_Whoa-oh, oh-oh...  
>Whoa-oh, oh-oh-' <em>the lyrics echoed with the beat as I marched on down the road with my suitcase rolling behind and to the side of me. I didn't know what to think anymore... My mind was reeling.

_'-And the hearts, they still beeeat  
>Sometimes together<br>But they're not compleeete  
>Full of you, full of meee<br>Half of all we want to beee_

_Whoa-oh, oh-oh  
>(Oh-oh)<br>This is how it goes  
>(How it goes)<br>I know, I know  
>(I know)<em>

_Whoa-oh, oh-oh  
>(Oh-oh)<br>This is how it goes  
>(How it goes)<br>I know, I know, oh-oh_

_Whoa-oh, oh-oh  
>(Oh-oh)<br>This is how it goes  
>(How it goes)<br>I know, I know  
>(I know)<em>

_Whoa-oh, oh-oh  
>(Oh-oh)<br>This is how it goes  
>(How it goes)<br>This is how it goes  
>(Goes, goes, goes, goes, goes, goes)-' <em>the lyric was repeated over and over to the bouncy beat as I continued to make my way down the street. There was an instrumental solo as the female vocalist crooned to the techno beat. The sound touched my soul in a way that gave me goosebumps. I turned off the beaten path and onto a trail that lead into the woods.

_'-In a way we want it so baaad  
>Wanting things that we never haaad<br>We're so afraid, so we go  
>To only places that we knooow<em>

_Whoa-oh, oh-oh  
>(Oh-oh)<br>This is how it goes  
>(How it goes)<br>I know, I know  
>(I know)<em>

_Whoa-oh, oh-oh  
>(Oh-oh)<br>This is how it goes  
>(How it goes)<br>I know, I know, oh-oh_

Whoa-oh, oh-oh  
>(Oh-oh)<br>This is how it goes  
>(How it goes)<br>I know, I know  
>(I know)<p>

_Whoa-oh, oh-oh  
>(Oh-oh)<br>This is how it goes  
>(How it goes)<br>This is how it goes  
>(Goes, goes, goes, goes, goes, goes, goes, goes)-' <em>Tears streamed down my face as the song went into another instrumental solo and I wiped them away fervently with my free hand. The techno music and synth sounds combined with the beat were gorgeous in a sort of tragic way that made my heart ache painfully. As always, I was conflicted.

_'-So we're stuck  
>(We're stuck)<br>In this moment of time  
>(Of time, of time, of time, of time, of time)<em>

_And the hearts  
>(And the hearts)<br>They still beat  
>(Still beat, still beat, still beat, still beat)<em>

_Whoa-oh, oh-oh  
>(Oh-oh)<br>This is how it goes  
>(How it goes)<br>I know, I know  
>(I know)<em>

_Whoa-oh, oh-oh  
>(Oh-oh)<br>This is how it goes  
>(How it goes)<br>I know, I know, oh-oh_

_Whoa-oh, oh-oh  
>(Oh-oh)<br>This is how it goes  
>I know, I know<br>Whoa-oh, oh-oh_

_(Oh-oh)  
>This is how it goes<br>(How it goes)  
>This is how it goes.<br>(I know).' _The song came to an abrupt end and the sun had set in a way that made the canopy of trees overhead blot out most of the sunlight. It created a sense of cold, loneliness, though I suspected a large part of that was contributed to the fact that I knew that where I was heading would be a place I would be all alone.

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><p><strong>Sorry for the short Chapter, Dearies, but I figure something is better than nothing, right? Please review!<strong>

**~Satine~**


	9. Chapter 9: Fear The Fever

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I recommend you open a new tab and go to my FanFiction homepage, click on my 4shared link and listen to the music featured in this chapter! :)  
><strong>

**Songs used: "Teardrop" BY: Massive Attack.**

**"Crave" BY: Edie.**

**"Fear The Fever" BY: Digital Daggers.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 9 - "Fear The Fever"<strong>

**Storybrooke, Maine**

As I walked at a brisk pace down the sidewalk, there was movement and I caught sight of a shadowy figure leaping out Mayor Mills' window. I faltered and came to a very abrupt stop behind the tall hedges that lined her property. My pulse was racing as I crouched down behind the brush. I didn't even have time to wonder who it was when the person rounded the corner and nearly knocked into me on accident.

"_Whoa! _What the? What are you doing Miss-?" I blinked dumbfounded and awkwardly stood upright as I realized it was Sheriff Graham.

"-Oakumura," I replied, shifting my weight to one side. The Sheriff eyed me suspiciously before looking down at the suitcase at my side.

"Going somewhere, Miss Oakumura?" he asked. I knew he was just trying to change the subject, but it was also his duty as town Sheriff to make sure everyone was safe.

"Um, just going to spend the night at a friend's house..." I replied. Which wasn't exactly a lie.

"Don't you think it's awfully reckless to be wandering the streets all alone at this hour?" he asked, and I stared at him for a moment. Part of me wanted to make a remark about what he was doing climbing out of the Mayor's window at this hour, but I thought better of it and held my tongue.

"I suppose," I replied reluctantly. "But it's not like I have very much farther to go," I lied. Graham stared at me for a long moment and I started to worry that he was going to inquire just _who_ this friend was...

"Well Miss Oakumura, for your safety, I certainly hope so," he said after a moment's deliberation.

"Besides," I said, looking around. "it's not like you have a squad car to give me a lift anyways," I pointed out. The Sheriff flushed a little as we stared at one another and I was pretty sure he knew that I knew what he was doing at the Mayor's house.

"Alright, well you be careful," he said, and I nodded before walking away, practically _feeling_ his eyes linger on me as I went.

It was a long time before I had finally spotted the abandoned cabin in the woods that I knew to be Mr. Gold's. And by which time my feet were on fire and I was exhausted. I was grateful to find the front door unlocked when I turned the knob and I peered inside. The cabin was small, dark, dank and dusty. I ran my hand along the wall, feeling for a light switch. I found it, and flipped it on, but nothing happened. There was probably no electricity.

With a sigh, I made my way further into the cabin and found several candles sitting on a small dresser to my right. Setting down my suitcase, I grabbed one of the candles and took the lighter that was attached to my handy lighter-leash, and lit the wick. Using the flame from the candle to look around the rest of the room, I saw that it was pretty desolate. Just a bare bones of essentials; a few tables, a tiny fireplace, a few pots and pans lining one of the walls and a small bed in the corner opposite.

I lit the other two candles and placed them around the cabin before shutting the front door. Now that the sunlight was completely gone, I felt a sense of pervasive loneliness. I didn't like feeling that way, so I went for what had always comforted me; music. Pressing the 'Shuffle' button on my MP3 player, a song started up with drums and static as a synthetic guitar joined in, the volume of everything increasing. It was a strong, yet comforting beat as a piano joined in with more techno sounds and the intensity built.

My mind was still reeling from the fight I had had with Trent. I still couldn't believe how gung ho he was on sticking to his story of not cheating on me. _I had saw him with Amanda at the club and they were holding hands!_ _She was leading him to a private booth! How stupid did he think I was? _It was appalling... and as much as I didn't want to admit it... deep down, it hurt.

A female vocalist began to sing along to the music as tears prickled my eyes and I fought to hold them back. I blinked, and a single teardrop fell onto the candle flame, causing it to flicker.

_'Love, love is a verb  
>Love is a doing word<br>Fearless on my... breath_

_Gentle impulsion  
>Shakes me, makes me lighter<br>Fearless on my... breath_

_Teardrop on the fire  
>Fearless on my... breath-' <em>I swallowed hard, pushing back the pain as an instrumental solo with drums, more static and synthetic sounds took place. I concentrated on keeping my breathing even.

_'-Night, night of matter  
>Black flowers blossom<em>

_Fearless on my... breaaath  
>Black flowers blossom<em>

_Fearless on my... breath  
>Teardrop on the fire<em>

_Fearless on my...-' _another instrumental segment with drums, static and synthetic guitar took place as I continued to take slow, deep breaths. I was literally keeping myself from having a panic attack. I didn't want to feel the destruction in my heart. I didn't think I could bare it when being left all alone.

Suddenly, all the music besides the drums, static and a few techno sounds ceased for a dramatic focal point that caused goosebumps to form on the surface of my skin. And that was when I knew I was stronger than I looked. I knew that love was not just a word. Love was something that was spoken loudest through actions. And Trent's actions had spoken loud and clear as far as I was concerned. The piano came back right then.

_'-Water is my eye  
>Most faithful mirror<br>Fearless on my... breaaath_

_Teardrop on the fire  
>Of a confession<br>Fearless on my... breath_

_Most faithful mirror  
>Fearless on my... breath<em>

_Teardrop on the fire  
>Fearless on my... breaaaaath-' <em>the female vocalist crooned hauntingly as an instrumental solo took place again. Only this time all the instruments played together, everything intensely as I smirked to myself at the parallel in lyrics to reality. Now that I knew who I _truly_ was... And who everyone else _truly_ was, I found it rather humorous that Regina, the Evil Queen was stranded here in a Land without magic, no longer able to view the world through her precious Magic Mirror.

_-'You're stumbling a littllle..._

_You're stumbling a littllle.' _there was an echo of the lyric until the final instrumental solo with drums and static. I thought about how I had actually never met the Evil Queen in person when I lived in Fairy-tale Land. And in all the time I had spent living in Storybrooke, I hadn't so much as spoken a word to her. I supposed I had never had a real reason to. And in a way, I was glad. I didn't particularly favor the woman.

Finally the piano and synthetic guitar joined into the techno sounds 'til the song came to an end. I got to my feet and dragged my suitcase over to the bed in the corner of the room. I reluctantly placed my hand on the bedding and started to wipe it off, however, I was utterly shocked to discover that it wasn't even dusty in the slightest bit.

I blinked stupidly for a moment and lowered the candle to see with my own two eyes that the bed was actually rather clean looking. It was out of place with the rest of the cabin which was very dusty and derelict in appearance. Maybe someone was using the cabin as a place to stay at night..? Suddenly I shuttered at the thought of being awoken by a crazed transit standing over me in the middle of the night.

"_No thank you_," I muttered aloud as I got to my feet once more and crossed the room. I locked the door, which in all truth, was something that I should have done to begin with... But my head wasn't on straight as of late. Not tonight... Not lately. Ever since I started getting involved with Mr. Gold... I sat back down on the bed, my stomach knotting up at the thought of Mr. Gold. I wondered where he was and what he was doing right now..?

Something inside my suitcase started to rattle around, startling me quite a bit. I yanked my ear buds out and unzipped the suitcase. Reaching inside, I pulled out my cellphone. Something I _never_ used. Unless it was an emergency. I actually hated talking on the phone, so I rarely used it and didn't even know I had managed to pack it.

I glanced at the number that was calling and realized it was Trent's little sister. I hesitated for a moment, deciding if I should even answer it or not... Without giving it much thought, I hit the 'Talk' button. _Beep._

"...Hello?" I said in a mono-tone voice as I held the phone to my ear.

"Hey, Tia..." Trent's sister Renee spoke in a soft voice on the other end. "I heard about your fight with Trent."

'_Of course she had_,' I thought to myself. Trent _always _went to _someone _to bash me whenever we got into any kind of argument or spat. He had no concept of 'private affairs'. Unless of course that was keeping secret affairs from _me._

"Yeah..." I replied, still in a mono-tone.

"I'm sorry. I know he can be a real jerk sometimes..." she said, trying to sound sympathetic.

"That's a major understatement," I said, no trace of humor in my voice. There was a pause of silence.

"Anyway, where are you? Do you need a place to spend the night-?" Renee asked, but I interrupted.

"Did Trent tell you to ask where I was?" I demanded.

"What? No, he-" she replied, but faltered and I _knew _he had.

"Thanks, Renee, but I'm fine," I said, followed by another pause of silence.

"I really regret the situation, Tia. You know I don't like seeing either of you unhappy. He's my big brother, and you're like a sister to me," she said, sounding earnest.

I sighed. "So do I, Renee, so do I... And you know you're like a sister, to me, too."

"Is... is there anything you want to tell me?" she stuttered, causing my heart to splutter. My thoughts immediately shot to Mr. Gold. And then to Amanda... "I mean, is there a reason things have gotten so... crazy between you two?" she asked.

I shrugged even though it was a pointless and unseen gesture. "Not really." There was another long silence, but I just didn't feel like getting to specifics with his litter sister of all people.

"Well... I guess I'll let you go then. Just be safe. Bye, Tia," Renee said.

"Bye," I replied before I hit the "End" button. _Beep._ I tossed the phone back into my suitcase and buried my face in my hands. "_URRGH!" _I groaned aloud, feeling like shit. Leave it to Trent to get his little sister to try and weasel out my whereabouts. As if I was stupid enough to tell her. Sure, she _sounded_ concerned, but I didn't fully trust her... Hell, I didn't fully trust _anyone._ Not after everything I'd seen and been through in my life. Or more like _lives_...

Besides, Renee wasn't exactly known for being the most selfless or sincere person... Christ, _none_ of Trent's family were. I reached into my suitcase and pulled out my pillow and a small blanket that I had always slept with for as long as I could remember. Even in the Fairy-tale world... My cheeks flushed as I realized that it could be seen as a security blanket. I groaned again, feeling depressed that I had to worry about such mannerisms I was developing and what the causes of them were.

Popping my ear buds back in, I slid my suitcase onto the floor with a _thud_, kicked off my shoes and climbed into the bed fully-clothed. I took a deep breath and my thoughts instantly went to Mr. Gold once again. I cursed under my breath as a lyricless song played and I imagined him doing some sort of 'top secret' trade with a faceless stranger over an shrouded 'exotic' prized possession. Otherwise, I really just couldn't imagine _what_ he would be doing...

I felt a sick ache in my heart that I had never felt before... It was different than the ache I got whenever I thought of Trent lying to me about fooling around with some chick. It was the kind of ache you felt not of betrayal, but of _yearning_ to be with someone you missed badly. Part of me felt a little foolish to have such strong feelings for a man I knew didn't love me... I knew I would be an even bigger fool if I loved him already. I couldn't even say that I truly knew who he really was. And I had gotten to know him more as his alter-ego Mr. Gold, than I ever had as Rumpelstiltskin.

I decided to settle on labeling it as lust. It was safer than love. After all, love was what had gotten me into this mess with Trent to begin with. I cringed at the memory, conflicting yet similar in a twisted sort of way, of the beginning of Trent and my relationship in both Storybrooke _and_ the Fairy-tale Land. I was naive enough to think that our love would actually last... That what we had was _true love_.

"_Tch!_" I scoffed involuntarily. "What a fucking idiot I was," I bitched to myself in the candlelight. I sighed again, trying to free myself of the stress. "I refuse to let a man, no, a _boy_ destroy me like this. Not when I know what a _real _man is now," I said aloud, smiling to myself at the thought of Mr. Gold. A song with quick, short guitar riffs started playing through my ear buds as another female vocalist began to sing softly.

_'I'm always on for a search  
>Even though I'm grounded<br>I don't take too many breaks_

_Even then I'm rested  
>And I don't care about tomorrow<br>And I don't care about where I'm headiiiiiiiiing-' _the female vocalist held the note as the song began to build in intensity as the guitar riff got quicker and drums joined in.

_'-I'm making up the end  
>Before the story's even started<br>I wanna' comprehend exactly what is going on_

_So many episodes of every spoken word  
>To feel the real core<br>To avoid the absurd_

_But ironically-' _the steady beat with drums came in as I thought _only_ of Mr. Gold... and Rumpelstiltskin.

_'-It's the mystery  
>Thee unknown I will save<br>It's the magic that I craaaaaaaaave-' _the female vocalist crooned before there was a short instrumental break. Although I had regained my memories from my former life, they were still very hazy and felt similar to recalling a vivid dream. Only instead of the dream fading, the memories remained, they just felt... disconnected. There were more fast guitar riffs followed by the music suddenly slowing up.

'-_Through the fields of splendor  
>Through these walls of noise<br>I will remember  
>To use my voice<em>

I will fight  
>For my right-'<p>

there was a short pause in vocals as the steady guitar beat played on and the music encouraged me to do the same when it came down to Trent.

_'-And I will fight for my right  
>To speak my mind<em>

_I will fight for my right  
>To speak my miiind-' <em>there was another short pause in vocals as I lay there in the small bed with my eyes closed.

_'-And ironically-' _the drums ceased for another little guitar solo._  
>It's the mystery<br>Thee unknown I will save_

_It's the magic that I craaaaaaaave!-' _there was another small instrumental break with keyboard, drums and guitar. I lay there on my side, gently moving my head in time to the beat of the music.

_'-And what I've been hungry for  
>Is somethin' of substance<br>What I've been craving  
>Is somethin' of taste<em>

_What I've been hungry for  
>Is somethin' of substance<br>What I've been craving  
>Is somethin' of taste<em>

_Something IIIII couldn't waste  
>Something IIIII couldn't waste<br>No...  
>I know...<em>

_Yeah, I know...  
>Oh, I know...<br>That I'll never glow  
>What about yooou?-' <em>Guitar, drums and keyboard played to the slow beat as the song faded and came to an end around the four minute mark. My mind was calmer than it had been all night.

* * *

><p>After having spent the night alone and having some time to not feel so trapped, I made my way back home. However, I was startled when I stepped in the front door of my apartment only to find the entire place cleaned. I was perplexed, and for a brief instance, I imagined that Trent had Amanda here. I set my suitcase down by the front door and went into the bedroom where I could hear the shower running.<p>

My pulse thudded hard in my chest as I glanced around the room. Everything was neat and tidy, and there appeared to be no sign that anyone had slept over last night. Though I knew looks could be deceiving and that wasn't enough to make me feel at ease. If anything, it made me even more suspicious. Trent hadn't voluntarily helped clean a damn thing in his _entire _life. Why start now? Was he just_ finally _trying to show me that he cared? Or was he trying to hide his fling with that home-wrecker? I was more inclined to think the latter.

"Tia, is that you?" Trent called out from the bathroom.

"...yeah," I replied just loud enough so that he could hear me. A minute later, the water stopped running and I heard the sound of the shower curtain being drawn. I went back into the living room and grabbed my suitcase before taking it back into the bedroom. I didn't unpack it, but left it at the foot of the bed and sat down on my side. I waited in silence for him to get out of the bathroom and when he did, he acted like nothing had even happened last night.

I wasn't sure if I was relieved, or annoyed. I sighed quietly and decided it wasn't worth getting into another screaming match over and I 'put the ball in his court'; I waited for him to be the first one to say something. It was way too long before he sat down, flipped on the TV and pulled up the DVR list. There were tons of shows recorded and hardly any space left for any new ones.

Trent was saying something about one of the programs, but I didn't really care what it was. I just nodded stiffly and grunted in response. Something that would suffice as a reply. He turned on one of the shows and I zoned out. I felt like a zombie... my heart was numb, and in turn my mind was, too. It was hard to find anything interesting anymore. I found it hard to believe that I had ever found any of these programs entertaining before.

I was no longer Tia, and I was also no longer Sarah... I felt like I was someone else stuck between the two lives and two personalities. I didn't know what to think or feel anymore... Other than the unbridled passion I felt for Mr. Gold. My heart ached again and I tried to stifle it as I sat there beside Trent.

The day passed in monotony and slow as molasses. But when the evening arose, apparently so did Trent's sex drive. Before I even knew what was happening, he was pawing at me. "I can't do this," I said uncomfortably.

He paused. "What're you talking about?" he asked and I looked at him.

"I can't do this, Trent," I repeated. "It's..." I struggled for the right words. "It just feels wrong."

"What? No, don't say that. You can't possibly mean that..." he said, sounding heartbroken and I felt a pang of guilt in my heart. "I love you, Tia."

I stared at him, my eyes flicking back and forth between his blue ones. I tried to see that he was lying, but I couldn't find evidence in the glassy eyes that looked back at me. Was I wrong? "I don't even know what love is anymore..." I replied, looking away and trying not to cry.

"Yes you do. I know you love me and you know I love you," Trent said as he grabbed my hand and squeezed. I closed my eyes and tried to settle my breathing. My pulse was jumping into my throat and it made it hard to speak. I didn't want to look at him. It felt too painful just sitting there. "Just relax, baby," he cooed as he put on some music with a click of the remote and pushed me onto my back. He kissed me as the song started up with a female vocalist and a synthesized organ.

_'I feel the fever  
>Deep in my booones<br>It runs electric  
>It drives me hooome-' <em>the beat came in, as well as a piano.

_'-It knows the weakness  
>Deep in my soooul<br>It keeps me hostage  
>I'm never alooone<em>

_Maybe you should gooo  
>Baby, can't controool...<br>Maybe you should gooo  
>Baby, can't controool...-' <em>the female vocalist repeated the lyrics before the song kicked up in intensity and I went through the motions with Trent.

_'-It wants to kill you  
>It wants to tear you apart<br>It wants to thrill you  
>This vengeful love that I've got<em>

_Wants to consume you  
>And spit you out<br>I fear the fever, fear the fever  
>Can you feel it now?-' <em>there was a short instrumental solo as the song slowed up again and more piano notes played. My body was present, but my mind was absent as he pillaged my flesh.

_'-I feel the fire  
>Burning belooow<br>It's gonna' trick you  
>Swallow you whooole<em>

_Maybe you should gooo...  
>Baby, can't controool-' <em>a brief pause in vocals as the music became intense again.

_'-It wants to kill you  
>It wants to tear you apart<br>It wants to thrill you  
>This vengeful love that I've got<em>

_Wants to consume you  
>Then spit you out<br>I fear the fever, fear the fever  
>Can you feel it now?-' <em>the song slowed up once more and something inside me just clicked.

_'-You know you're not safe heeere  
>I'll only bring you dowwwn<br>Can't help you disappeeear  
>My love is too late nowww<em>

_You know you're not safe heeere  
>I'll only bring you dowwwn<br>The end is almost neeear  
>My love is too late nowww-' <em>the intensity returned.

_'-It wants to kill you  
>It wants to tear you apart<br>It wants to thrill you  
>This vengeful love that I've got<em>

_Wants to consume you  
>Then spit you out<br>I fear the fever, fear the fever  
>Can you feel it now?<br>_

_It wants to kill you  
>It wants to tear you apart<br>It wants to thrill you  
>This vengeful love that I've got<br>_

_Wants to consume you  
>Then spit you out<br>I fear the fever, fear the fever  
>Can you feel it now?<em>

_You know you're not safe here..._

You know you're not safe here  
>I'll only bring you dowwwn.' With a few last notes, the song came to a haunting end. And all I felt was guilt. Almost as if I were cheating on Mr. Gold with Trent, even though in reality it was the other way around...<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Please review! Thank you for reading!<strong>

**~Satine~**


	10. Chapter 10: Under

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Songs used: "Nobody's Home" BY: Avril Lavigne**

**"Under" BY: Under feat. Morgan Page**

**"Be The One" BY: Moby **

**"Give Me Everything" BY: Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo**

**DISCLAIMER:**** I do NOT own Once Upon a Time or any of their characters. They belong to the respective rights of Disney ABC and this is solely for entertainment NON-profit purposes ONLY.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 10 - "Under"<strong>

I awoke the next morning full of regret and confusion, and only fittingly the weather mirrored my inner turmoil as a steady rain pattered against the windows. The sky was a dull shade of grey and in turn blocked out so much of the sunlight that it threw off my entire sense of time. I flipped on a few lights in the apartment and found another note from Trent posted to the TV. It said he had gone for a morning jog and planned to stop by an old friend's house.

"_In the rain..?" _I said aloud to myself before scoffing in disbelief. I didn't know what to think anymore, but one thing was for certain; my head hurt. I hadn't slept well last night and I really wasn't sure if I should feel guilty... or angry. I decided to distract myself with food and went to fry up some eggs and bacon for brunch. I snagged my MP3 Player and headed into the kitchen to cook while listening to music.

About twenty minutes later, I sat down on the couch with my plate of food in my lap and stared out the window at the rain while I ate. It was peaceful, but I still couldn't shake the feeling of having a pit in the bottom of my stomach. Eating hadn't gotten rid of it like I had hoped, but in all truth, I hadn't exactly expected it to. I suppose I knew better... I knew that running from my thoughts and emotions wasn't going to help me any. I decided to toss on my shoes and coat, and go for a walk to see if I could find Trent on his way home. I needed to have a serious talk with him.

I locked the door behind me and made a large circle around the neighborhood while listening to my music. I allowed my mind to wander and thought of what I had done last night... I cringed, trying to dissect _why_ it made me feel so bad. If I had been wrong about Trent cheating on me, then that meant that _I _was the cheater. I_ should _have felt sick to my stomach, and I _should_ have felt like a bad person for what I did with Mr. Gold if Trent really was innocent... But for some reason, I just didn't.

Perhaps it was due to the fact that I had, what felt like an eternity's worth of neglect on his behalf all because of the Curse that had kept us here for the past two decades, _on top_ of the life I had already lived with him in Fairy-tale Land... It had created the worst kind of resentment that left me feeling nothing but bitter towards him.

After twenty minutes of walking with no sign of Trent, I was soaked and beginning to get cold so I decided to head back. When I reached the apartment, I was startled to find the door unlocked and stepped inside with my mouth open to say something, however, I was interrupted by a girl's laughter. And not just _any_ girl... it was Amanda. I gritted my teeth as I looked around the apartment and spotted another friend of Trent's, named Nate sitting with them.

I shut the door behind me and saw that Nate had apparently made himself at home by carelessly tossing his damp jacket on my leather armchair. I went to hang it up where it belonged on the coat hook while glaring silently. Trent was avidly entertaining the two of them in the living room and the sight reminded me of an elementary kid boasting to his friends after school, trying desperately to look 'cool'.

"Good morning to you, too," I said sarcastically. Everyone paused to turn and look at me. I stood there with my arms folded across my chest.

"Oh, hey Tia," Trent said like it was no big deal that I had been out looking for him. "This is Nate, you already know him, and this is-"

"_I know her name_," I said tartly, refraining from referring to her as an 'it'. Amanda stared at me like a dumb cow would look at an oncoming train, but I knew she was putting on a facade. She smiled at me in a sickly sweet way that I knew all to well held a hidden agenda. I returned the smile, but mine was more of a sneer than anything else. "So, uh, what's going on here?" I asked, trying only slightly to hide my impatience.

"Just thought I'd hang out with my friends for a while, if that's okay with you?" Trent said defensively, as if I were being controlling or something. I narrowed my eyes at him. Of course a morning jog would '_somehow' _turn into an outing with the slut he _knew_ damn well that I hated, and whom he _knew_ was causing _all_ of our problems...

He went back to his animated storytelling, but Amanda had a sly smirk on her face as her gaze caught mine. I clenched my fists and stared her down until she had no choice but to look away. I had to slowly count to ten in my head in order to keep from blowing up right then and there. I felt like a damn fool. I had screwed around with Trent last night like an absolute moron and now, here I was... yet _again_ being tossed aside like scraps to a dog, all so that he could seek out, as well as dote attention on everyone else _but_ me.

"I never said you couldn't hang out with your friends. And I really don't appreciate you making me look like the bad guy here," I said, my voice rising. Trent stopped talking and everyone looked at me again.

"I never said you were," he replied, playing dumb.

"But you sure as hell implied it," I shot back. "All I've ever done is try to make things easier and all you ever do is make things as difficult as possible."

"I hate to break it to you, Tia, but incessant bitching doesn't count as making things easier," he said, and Amanda snickered.

"You know what, Trent? _You're _the reason I bitch all the time. _I wouldn't have to if I wasn't stuck living with such an inconsiderate asshole!"_ I snapped.

"Don't talk to him like that," Amanda interjected and I turned to look at her with a death glare. I imagined myself jumping across the room and strangling her.

"_Excuse me?_" I challenged unwaveringly. At first she didn't say anything. "This is _none_ of your business, so butt out."

Amanda blinked stupidly. "You're always so mean to him," she countered.

"_Me? _Mean to _him? Oh. My. Fucking. God,_" I said in utter exasperation. "_Hello!_ It's called _cause and effect!" _I explained before turning to Trent once more. "You pull all this shit on me and expect me to do what? Just smile and take it? _You're nuts,_" I said before stalking off into the bathroom and slamming the door behind me.

Through the door I could hear Amanda's muffled laughter at something Trent had said after I left the room. She sounded like such a fake skank. I couldn't believe he could possibly be interested in someone so incredibly phony. And the bitch wasn't even pretty! It made me want to hurl. I turned up the volume on my MP3 Player to drown out their voices; a song was playing with guitar and drums, and a female vocalist.

_'Well, I couldn't tell you  
>Why she felt that way<br>She felt it everyday-' _I leaned over the sink and my body literally shook with rage. My knuckles turned white as I clenched my fists. Hot tears spilled down my cheeks despite my efforts to quell them.

_'-I couldn't help her  
>I just watched her make<br>The same mistakes again_

_What's wrong, what's wrong now?  
>Too many, too many problems<br>Don't know where she belongs  
>Where she belongs<em>

_She wants to go home, but nobody's home  
>It's where she lies, broken inside<br>With no place to go, no place to go  
>To dry her eyes, broken inside<em>

_Open your eyes (Open your eyes)  
>And look outside<br>Find the reasons why_

_You've been rejected (You've been rejected)  
>And now you can't find<br>What you've left behind_

_Be strong, be strong now  
>Too many, too many problems<br>Don't know where she belongs  
>Where she belongs<em>

_She wants to go home, but nobody's home  
>It's where she lies, broken inside<br>With no place to go, no place to go  
>To dry her eyes, broken inside-' <em>I looked up and caught sight of my reflection in the mirror. The girl staring back at me with dead eyes made my heart stop momentarily.

_'-Her feelings she hides  
>Her dreams she can't find<br>She's losing her mind  
>She's fallen behind<br>_

_She can't find her place  
>She's losin' her faith<br>She's fallen from grace  
>She's all over the plaaace (Place)<em>

_Yeah (Yeah)_

_She wants to go home, but nobody's home  
>It's where she lies, broken inside<br>With no place to go, no place to go  
>To dry her eyes, broken inside<em>

_She's lost insiiide, lost inside  
>Oh-oh<br>She's lost insiiide, lost inside  
>Oh-oh, yeah.' <em>The song came to an end and I wiped away the tears, still staring at my reflection. I was no longer shaking. Instead, I felt determined. A new song started up on my MP3 Player with a relaxing melody and beat. I thought about what my next move was. I knew I couldn't stay locked in the bathroom all day, but I also had no clue if Mr. Gold was even back yet...

'_Be there...-' _a female vocalist sang in the backdrop as I opened the door and headed back into the living room.

_'-Where there was no reason now  
>There is plenty...<br>I'm tired as death and sleep somehow  
>Has become empty...-' <em>sang the female vocalist through my ear buds, her voice echoing gently. I allowed myself to surrender to the music.

_'-And this remains to be seen  
>Your sister called me<br>Late last night  
>Well, she regrets the situation, it seems-'<em> I went straight to the front door, opened it and stepped out into the pouring rain. No one said a word, not even Trent. And if I had to guess, he probably didn't even notice my leaving. It certainly wouldn't be the first time he had neglected me in this manner...

_'-She asked for reasons  
>For explanations<br>And there was... (And they require)  
>She asked for reasons-' <em>the female vocalist's voice echoed softly as I made my way down the street just like I had done too many times to count.

_'-And there was  
>Never a happier rain<br>A more pleasant grey  
>Surprise, you are alive and...-' <em>trance kicked in right then and I tried desperately to see things from a positive perspective... but it was nearly impossible.

_'-This is taking me underrr  
>This is taking me underrr, oooh<br>This is taking me underrr-' _the female vocalist crooned in a way that made my heart swell with a kind of ache that threatened to make me cry again. There was a short instrumental break as the grey sky opened up and rain continued to come down in sheets. Stupidly, I started to run down the street... As if I could physically run away from the pain...

_'-The second time in one chance  
>It's better than the first time, we didn't know<br>Against a wall and now I'm caught  
>And down the street, I am afflicted-' <em>I was soaked to the bone and freezing, but I didn't even care.

_'-And there was  
>Never a happier rain<br>More pleasant grey  
>Surprise you are alive and...-' <em>there was a pause in vocals as I continued to run until my lungs threatened to burst and I could run no longer. I staggered to a halt, the rain coming down so hard now that I could barely see a foot in front of me. I fell to my knees in someone's grassy boulevard and felt myself sink into the muddy earth.

'_-Because you are alive and...  
><em>

_This is taking me underrr  
>This is taking me underrr, oooh<br>This is taking me underrr-' _ I cried out loud in utter agony, my tears drown out by the rain... My screams down out by the rumbling thunder...

_'-Hmm-mmmm...  
>Hmmm-mmm, underrr-' <em>the female vocalist crooned as the song went into a serious trance segment and I just sat there in a messy heap, bawling my eyes out... I didn't want to be alive anymore... I wished that the Curse had just destroyed everything instead of bringing us all to this retched world... It was just as bad here, if not _worse_ than Fairy-tale Land.

_'-Mmm-hmmm, ohh  
>Underrr<br>This is taking me underrr-' _there was another vocal pause as I allowed my head to fall backward hopelessly and I looked up into the dark sky.

"_I DON'T WANT TO BE HERE!_" I shouted in defeat as rain pelted my face and lightning illuminated the sky, momentarily blinding me.

'_-This is taking me underrr  
>This is taking me underrr, oooh<br>This is taking me underrr-' _ Hot tears continued to cascade down my cheeks, mingling with the cold rain.

_'-Hmm-mmmm..._  
><em>This is taking me underrr<em>

_Hmm-mmmm...  
>Mmmm, under-er-errr<em>

_Underrr...  
>Underrr-' <em>there was an instrumental pause with nothing but vocals.

'_-You are alive and...-' _the music returned with a rush as the thunder crashed violently overhead and contrary to the lyrics, I wished I wasn't alive...

'_-This is taking me underrr-' _another vocal pause as the sky lit up and rumbled never-ending.

'_-This is taking me underrr  
>This is taking me underrr, oooh-' <em>there was another instrumental solo as the wind began to pick up; it was turning into a nasty electrical storm.

_'-Hmm-mmmm.' _The female vocalist finished humming and the song played on with trance. I didn't know how long I had been sitting there for by the time the music finished playing through my ear buds and faded to an end. But I had nowhere to go... I had no one... The wind was lashing my face with rain, to the point that it was almost painful._ Almost_. But nothing could compare to the pain in my heart. Another song came on with a haunting synthesized vocalist.

_'I'll never see what you wanted... love  
>I was the hell that you needed... oh<br>I was the one when you needed love  
>I was the one when you needed lust-' <em>the verse was repeated three times over as synthetic sounds gently joined in. I stared into the darkness of the rainstorm and thought about what the lyrics were saying.

It was strange... some of them made me think of Trent and how he would _never_ see what I wanted, even when it was as simple as love. While other parts of the song made me think of Gold, who w_as_ there when I needed love and when I need more... lust. If it weren't for the hell that Trent had put me through, I wouldn't have sought out Rumpelstiltskin long ago in the first place.

_'-I'll never see what you wanted... love  
>I was the hell that you needed... oh<br>I was the one when you needed love  
>I was the one when you needed lust-' <em>the beat and bass came in with more instruments that made for an intense and overwhelming sensation as the storm continued to grow worse. A large part of me hoped that it would turn into a hurricane.._._

_'-I'll never see what you wanted... love  
>I was the hell that you needed... oh<br>I was the one when you needed love  
>I was the one when you needed lust<em>

_I'll never see what you wanted... love  
>I was the hell that you needed... oh<br>I was the one when you needed love  
>I was the one when you needed lust-' <em>more instruments joined in and as the cold seeped into my bones, I began to shake uncontrollably. Maybe if I was lucky, I would freeze to death... Then Trent could be free to do whatever he pleased with no worry of consequences. Before I even knew it, I was bawling again, surprised that I even had any tears left to cry.

"_WHY, GOD? WHY!" _I sobbed aloud, my voice still drown out by the wailing of the wind and rain.

_'-I'll never see what you wanted... love  
>I was the hell that you needed... oh<br>I was the one when you needed love  
>I was the one when you needed lust-' <em>the instruments let up except for the guitar pitch, and the storm sounded like a banshee in the night. The wind was causing my hair to blow about like mad and cling uncomfortably to my wet skin.

_I'll never see what you wanted... love  
>I was the hell that you needed... oh<br>I was the one when you needed love  
>I was the one when you needed lust-' <em>all the instruments returned.

_"I HATE THIS LAND! I DON'T WANT BE HERE ANYMORE!" _I cried out in agony. I was jolted to my senses by someone placing their hand on my shoulder.

"_What are you doing out here? Are you insane?_"

I jumped out of fright and stumbled to the side. With my heart racing, I staggered into a defensive position and squinted through the rain. I realized that it was Mr. Gold, and once I got a grip on myself, I stood upright, throwing myself into his arms without thinking as I cried into his coat. "_Oh my God, I missed you so much_..." I said, my voice muffled by the fabric.

"I've only been gone thirty-six hours..." he replied, sounding a bit exasperated. "Come on, let's get in the car before we both catch a chill." For me, that was already too late. I looked around and spotted his car parked on the side of the street. He opened the passenger side door of his black Cadillac and I got in.

_'-I'll never see what you wanted... love  
>I was the hell that needed... oh<br>I was the one when you needed love  
>I was the one when you needed lust-' <em>the instruments let up once more, but my breathing was still jagged.

Mr. Gold swiftly made his way around the front of the vehicle and climbed in beside me, but instead of taking off right away, he turned toward me with a concerned look on his face. Rain hammered the windshield and other than the music in my ear buds, the only thing that could be heard were the wipers swishing back and forth, and thunder rumbling in the distance.

"..I'm sorry," I said with a sniffle. "I know you must think I'm pathetic," I replied, not even wanting to look at him.

_'-I'll never see what you wanted... love  
>I was the hell that you needed... oh<br>I was the one when you needed love  
>I was the one when you needed lust.' <em>The haunting vocalist mumbled inaudibly as the instruments went out of tune and the song came to an end.

Mr. Gold reached out and pulled the ear bud out of my ear while chuckling softly. "Pathetic? No. A bit irrational and over emotional? Yes." I turned and looked at him feeling embarrassed. "But you _are_ a girl after all, Dearie..." he smiled weakly and I couldn't help but return the gesture. "Now why don't you enlighten me on why I found you in Mr. Hopper's yard, cursing the God of this Land? Which, if you haven't caught on by now, even the people here have forsaken and denied the existence of such a being."

I laughed, unable to help myself despite the sorrow I felt. "There has to be _something_ responsible for the good and evil in this Land... Even where we're from we had the Reul Ghorm and-" I faltered for a brief instance. "-You." An evil smirk spread across Mr. Gold's face and it made my heart flutter in response.

"Yes, me," he purred as he put the car in gear and pulled away from the curb. "But you still haven't answered my question," he said as we drove toward his house, the rain still coming down hard.

"Um, can we talk about it later?" I mumbled while squirming uncomfortably.

"Yes, of course," he replied.

We drove in silence 'til we got to his house, where I immediately took off my wet shoes and jacket before heading straight upstairs to his bedroom. Without even hesitating, I walked over to his stereo and turned on some music, putting the volume at low. I then crossed the room and went to his bed where I allowed my body to collapse onto it face first.

"_Well, well, well_. What do we have here?" I heard Mr. Gold purr. I rolled over onto my back and saw him standing at the foot of the bed gazing at me. "A beautiful young woman in my bed just _begging_ to be ravaged? Why I don't mind if I do," he said while setting his cane against the nightstand and shrugging off his suit coat all while eying me with a suggestive look on his face.

My cheeks flushed and my heart palpitated almost painfully in my chest. I swallowed hard and as he sat down on the bed beside me, I could tell by the look in his eyes that it hadn't gone unnoticed. He was always so perceptive, almost talentedly so. Especially compared to Trent. It was something I just wasn't used to...

"How did you find me?" I asked, sparing him the task of trying to get me to open up.

"I don't know. Why don't we call it... 'dumb luck'?" he said rhetorically.

I shook my head. "There's no such thing as luck," I said. He smirked in response.

"Fine then, Dearie. Call it Fate, call it Destiny. Call it what you will... But does it really matter? The only thing that matters is that I found you. And before you did something stupid, might I add," he said, causing me to cringe.

"...I already did something stupid," I mumbled in disappointment as I closed my eyes and tried my best to keep my breathing steady.

"Oh? Do tell," Mr. Gold replied, his voice sounding calm and casual. However, now that I was confronted with the reality of what I had done and no way to escape it, I suddenly wanted to cry again. My lip twitched involuntarily, the way it does when you're seconds from bawling. I bit down on my lower lip, almost hard enough to draw blood in an attempt to keep myself from breaking down again. I didn't want him see this side of me.

"I'd rather not think about it tonight, if that's okay with you," I said ruefully.

Mr. Gold reached out, placing his thumb and index finger under my chin and gently tilted my face so that I had no choice but to look at him. My heart thumped hard in my chest and my stomach felt like it was full of butterflies. He stared into my eyes in a way that reminded me of his former self... The way Rumpelstiltskin once peered into my eyes oh, so long ago... It was an intense gaze that kept you transfixed.

"I'm sorry that I was gone longer than I had planned..." he said, his gaze unwavering. I shrugged ever so slightly.

"...It's okay," I replied, but he shook his head.

"Apparently it's not. I was gone but a short while, yet I return to find you broken," he said. My heart faltered at the word 'broken', and I wasn't sure if I was offended or saddened.

"I'm not broken," I detested as I pulled away from his touch and looked around the room. I heard him exhale.

"Okay, perhaps broken isn't the correct term, but you can't tell me that something didn't happen when I was away," Gold said, and I swallowed hard.

"Where _did_ you go?" I asked, trying to avoid thinking about Trent.

This time, he actually sighed. "You know I can't tell you that," he replied.

"_Why?_" I asked, sounding accusatory. My heart was thumping through my veins and I was beginning to feel that familiar sensation of mistrust creeping in. But I tried to catch it before it could take hold, reassuring myself that he was _not_ like Trent... That he would _never_ do the same things to me... There was a long silence as the music on the stereo played in the background and Mr. Gold stared at me. I could practically _feel_ his eyes scrutinizing my every movement. What if I had fucked things up between him and I, all because of allowing Trent and Amanda to ruin me? "I'm sorry," I said earnestly. "I know you can't tell me where you went..."

I chanced a glance at him; he was staring at me with a curious look on his face and I felt my cheeks burn hot. I used the music that was playing as something to focus on in order to distract myself from all the painful thoughts I was having and feeling. "Maybe I shouldn't have left you alone," he said and I felt my stomach drop. Was he implying that I was too weak and fragile to handle being alone?

"Well it's not like you could take me with you," I said, trying to convey to him that I understood his predicament. "Don't worry about it, I'm fine," I added. There was a long pause without either of us saying anything. "I know I said I didn't want to talk about it tonight, but I changed my mind. I need to get something off my chest..." I said anxiously. Mr. Gold nodded calmly, as if he had expected this reaction from me all along. Was I _that_ predictable?

"Alright, Dearie. What's on your mind?" he asked while he leaned past me, opened the nightstand drawer and pulled out a small silver flask. I chuckled before I could help myself, unsure if I found it slightly offending or actually a rather good idea. Mr. Gold stared at me, watching my reaction as I decided to settle on the latter. I hesitantly reached for it, and he gladly unscrewed the cap and handed it to me.

I didn't even wait for him to tell me what it was before I slammed down a few long gulps. I was no expert at drinking alcohol, but I did know a few tricks to drinking hard liquor like one of the 'big boys'. I had sucked in a deep breath before I took a swig so that I could exhale the fumes slow and steadily afterward, and then take a draw of clean air. But even so, it was so strong that it actually made my eyes water.

"What the hell is that? _Moonshine?_" I croaked, my voice raspy as I watched Gold take several gulps without even flinching before screwing the cap back on and setting it on the nightstand.

"Bacardi one-fifty-one," he replied.

"Wow... it's been so long since I had it that I didn't even recognize it," I said as I felt the warm alcohol steel over me from the inside out. "Anyways..." I began as I dropped my gaze and fiddled with my hands nervously. My heart was thumping hard again and I had no clue how to tell him what had happened between Trent and I while he was away... "I screwed up," I said simply.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to be a bit more specific, Dearie," he replied. As hard as it was, I forced myself to look at him.

"I..." I faltered. "I don't know where to begin..."

"Well try," he urged gently and I couldn't tell if he was frustrated with me or not. I swallowed hard.

"I confronted Trent about Amanda and he swore that it wasn't true," I said, and saw Gold begin to open his mouth to say something, but I kept going. "_I know, I know,_ we saw him at the Club with her. I told him that and he _still_ said he wasn't cheating on me. I didn't know what to believe... He made me feel guilty. Like everything was all _my_ fault..." Everything came tumbling out.

"Oh, bullocks..." Gold said in exasperation as he reached for the flask on the nightstand. I cringed, knowing I had to finish telling him what happened...

"At first I didn't believe him. We even got into another argument over it and I walked all the way to your cabin by the lake... I spent the night there," I explained. Mr. Gold watched in silence, waiting for me to finish. "His sister even called me and when I got back in the morning, he had cleaned the entire apartment and he just-" I sighed. "I don't know, he fooled me, okay? _I'm an idiot!_ I let him touch me and I know I shouldn't have-"

Mr. Gold laughed, and the sound was so abrupt that it momentarily stunned me. "So let me get this straight," he began with a smirk that resembled a sneer. "you're worried that I'm going to be upset you slept with him?"

I faltered, completely dumbstruck. "Well... yeah?" I said, my voice sounding so small and punitive. He laughed again and I suddenly felt even worse. If that were even possible...

"What makes you think I would care about your _carnal interludes?_" he asked, and I wasn't sure if he was mad, or if he really just didn't care?

"Well... don't you?" I asked, blinking stupidly. "I mean... I care what you do with other-" I trailed off, realizing just _what_ I was saying. _Was this really happening?_ Was I trying to make him and I... an item? "I should go before I further make a fool out of myself," I said as I made to stand up, but he caught me by my wrist in a firm, but gentle grasp and I had no choice but to stop.

"Sarah, wait," Gold said, sounding as if what he was trying to say was hard for him to force out. "You can't leave."

I looked down at him dumbstruck. "Yes, I can," I replied, though in a voice that sounded rather uncertain. He tugged on my arm and pulled me down into his lap, causing my heart to palpitate at how close we suddenly were.

"You _can_ leave... but I don't want you to," Gold whispered into my ear, sending chills dancing up and down my spine while a catchy hip-hop, dance song played in the background with a male vocalist rapping. I shuttered in response to his breath upon my ear and my body involuntarily spasmed against his. I felt his arousal through the fabric of his pants and it made me gasp. "I'm afraid if you keep squirming like that I can't be held responsible for what happens," he whispered into my ear again. And again, my body spasmed in pleasure to the sensation of his hot breath in such a sensitive area.

"I can't help it," I said breathlessly as I caught sight of him smirking. A piano joined into the beat of the music right then.

_'-Tonight I will love, love you tonight  
>Give me everything tonight<br>For all we know, we might not get tomorrow  
>Let's do it tonight-' <em>crooned a different male vocalist as the techno started in and the lyrics caused me to blush. Mr. Gold's brown eyes caught my blue ones, making my stomach flutter.

_'-Don't care what they say  
>All the games they play<br>Nothing is enough  
>'Til they handle love-' <em>sang a female vocalist.

_'-Let's do it tonight-'_ crooned the male vocalist.

_'-I wantchu' tonight  
>I wantchu' to stay<br>I wantchu' tonight-'_ sang the female vocalist as the song grew in intensity and Mr. Gold gave me a wolfish grin while placing his hands on my hips.

_'-Grab somebody sexy, tell 'em, "hey" (Hey!)  
>Give me everything tonight (Hey!)<br>Give me everything tonight (Hey!)  
>Give me everything tonight (Hey!)<br>Give me everything tonight-' _repeated the male vocalist to the bouncing beat of the music, and I began to press myself against Mr Gold's body as I moved mine to the music. He took the opportunity to boldly close the gap between our faces; a slow and passionate kiss with the same burning desire that I felt.

'_-Take advantage of tonight  
>'Cause tomorrow I'm also doin' bad<br>Performing for a Princess  
>But tonight, I can make you my Queen<br>And make love to you endless-' _rapped the male vocalist in the background as we kissed, and the lyrics kinda' leaped out at me. But Gold suddenly broke the kiss with a smile, and I felt a bit dizzy, as well as giddy. Mirroring his expression, I smiled against his mouth, our lips brushing in a sensual way.

_'-Put it on my life, baby  
>I make you feel right, baby<br>Can't promise tomorrow  
>But I promise tonight... darlin'-' <em>rapped the male vocalist in the backdrop as Mr. Gold swept a damp strand of hair from my face.

_'-Excuse me, (Excuse me)  
>And I might drink a little more than I should tonight<br>And I might take you home with me, if I could tonight  
>And baby, I'mma' make you feel so good tonight<br>'Cause we might not get tomorrow-' _the rapper sang as I reached up and caught his hand, turning my face so that I could plant soft kisses on his palm.

_'-Tonight I will love, love you tonight  
>Give me everything tonight<br>For all we know, we might not get tomorrow  
>Let's do it tonight-' <em>crooned the male vocalist as I stared into Gold's eyes intently.

"Trent is truly a fool," he said, his eyes glazed over with arousal and causing me to blush.

_'-Don't care what they say  
>All the games they play<br>Nothing is enough  
>'Til they handle love'- <em>the female vocalist sang.

_'-Let's do it tonight-' _crooned the male vocalist.

'_-I wantchu' tonight  
>I wantchu' to stay<br>I wantchu' tonight-' _sang the female vocalist to the beat of the song. All the music went silent except for the building ethereal techno, and for once I actually felt good.

_'-Grab somebody sexy, tell 'em, "hey" (Hey!)  
>Give me everything tonight (Hey!)<br>Give me everything tonight (Hey!)  
>Give me everything tonight (Hey!)<br>Give me everything tonight-' _the male vocalist repeated.

_'-Reach for the stars and if you don't grab 'em  
>At least you'll fall on top o' the world<br>Think about it, 'cause if you slip  
>I'm gonna' fall on top of yo' girl, hahaha!-' <em>rapped the male vocalist, and I sucked in a deep breath, my eyes widening a little in surprise at the parallel in the lyrics to my situation. My cheeks flushed and Mr. Gold shot me a coy look before he captured my lips with his in another passionate kiss.

_'-Put it on my life, baby  
>I make you feel right, baby<br>Can't promise tomorrow  
>But I promise tonight... darlin'-' <em>rapped the male vocalist.

_'-Excuse me (Excuse me)  
>And I might drink a little more than I should tonight<br>And I might take you home with me, if I could tonight  
>And, baby, I'mma' make you feel so good tonight<br>'Cause we might not get tomorrow-' _sang the rapper.

_'-(Get tomorrow, get tomorrow, get tomorrow).' _The song came to an end, but things were just beginning to heat up between us.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed this chapter! I had fun writing it. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to leave a review! Thank you!<strong>

~Satine~


	11. Chapter 11: A Little Taste

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Songs used: "A Little Taste" BY: Skyler Jones.**

**"For Your Entertainment" BY: Adam Lambert.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Once Upon a Time or any of their characters. They belong to the respective rights of Disney ABC and this is solely for entertainment NON-profit purposes ONLY.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 11 - "A Little Taste"<strong>

**The Dwarves' Mines**

I awoke in a pile of straw, cuddled up against a warm body. It took a few moments for me to gather my barrings as I tried to process what had happened. As I glanced to my right, I saw the perfect form of Rumpelstiltskin laying on his back with one arm folded behind his head and the other resting peacefully on his chest. My heart leaped into my throat as the memory of our escapade flooded my senses. I felt a sudden connection to him that I hadn't before.

I laid there motionless, not wanting to wake him as I wondered if the way I felt was due to the deal I had made with him? I'd never had the 'privy' of meeting him until tonight, but I was smart enough to know that any deal struck with The Dark One meant that you would be magically bound by the contract. Though, I had not signed a literal contract, so much as we had made a verbal agreement, and I wasn't certain how the rules applied to such terms.

I carefully rolled over onto my side so that I was facing him and silently watched him sleep. I wasn't sure how many minutes went by, but I had a sudden urge to touch him. With baited breath I slowly reached out to place my hand on his chest- _THWAP! _A loud gasp escaped my lips as he abruptly caught me by my wrist just centimeters before I could reach him. My heart was in my throat and I was frozen like a deer in the headlights.

"S-sorry," I stammered before I could help myself. Rumpelstiltskin stared at me for a long moment and his hypnotizing eyes bored into mine. Finally, he loosened his grip on my wrist and allowed me to place my hand on his chest like I had originally intended.

"No matter," he replied nonchalantly, and instead of getting scared or shying away from him, I let myself get more comfortable and moved closer so that the side of our bodies were touching. He peered down his nose at me in a curious manner and I knew that I had to be one of the few women who reacted to him the way that I did.

"Were you having a bad dream?" I asked, unsure if I was overstepping my boundaries or not.

"I don't dream," he replied rather quickly, almost taking me aback.

"What? You don't..?" I trailed off, as I wondered if perhaps he merely didn't want me to know about such private thoughts. "Huh... Well, I didn't mean to invade your space. I just..." I stopped talking as I felt my cheeks burn hot and I could hear myself screaming in my head to just shut up before I said something foolish.

"Dearie, you're the first _real _company I've had in a long time. I think I can handle a little invasion of space," Rumpelstiltskin said. "Besides," he added. "if anything, I'd have thought I was invading _your _space," he said, coyly referring to what I could only assume was our carnal interlude a few hours prior. I blushed profusely and when I didn't reply, he continued. "Or perhaps you enjoyed every moment of it."

I sucked in a deep breath involuntarily and felt my entire face burn hot with embarrassment because he was right. I _had_ enjoyed every moment of it. In fact, I hadn't felt such ecstasy in my entire life... And now that I had a little taste of it, I wanted more.

"I was-" I began. "you were-" I faltered and exhaled, trying to calm myself. "You made me feel things I never thought I could," I said in a low voice, torn between embarrassment yet a desire to express what I had never been able to before. Rumpelstiltskin chortled, his voice echoing off the cave walls and causing my hair to stand on end. My face continued to remain flushed.

"Then I trust you are... _satisfied _with our deal?" he asked, sounding very pleased with himself.

I smiled shyly. "Yes. Very," I said breathlessly. All of the sudden I heard the sound of a faint voice in the distance and it made my heart stop in fear. Someone was coming. I had lost all sense of time in the dark cave that never saw sunlight and I had no idea how long I had fallen asleep for. For all I knew, it was late morning or early afternoon.

"When we reach the cell stay out of the light, and whatever you do, do _not _let him know your name. If he knows your name he'll have power over you," rang out a male's deep voice. With wide eyes, I hurried to bury myself in the pile of hay as fast as I could. Rumpelstiltskin merely stood and leaped onto the spiked bars in one swift stride. "Rumpelstiltskin? _Rumpelstiltskin!_" called the deep voice. "I have a question for you." Three hooded figures drew closer to the cell, the man who spoke held a torch.

"No... you don't," replied Rumpel in his sing-song voice from the top of the spiked bars where he acrobatically and agilely held himself in an upside down position, not much unlike a bat. He carefully spun himself right side up and leaped to the ground with a small patter. "...they do," he said, referring to the two hooded figures who hadn't spoken yet. "Snow white... and _Prince Charming!_" he sang the latter's name before chuckling in amusement. "You insult me. Step into the light and take off those ridiculous robes," Rumpel said while gesturing with his hands. "_Ahhh, hahaha,_" he sighed in content followed by soft cackles of laughter. "that's much better."

"We've come to ask you about the Cu-" Prince Charming began, but was quickly cut across.

"_Yes, yes, yes! I know why you're here!_" Rumpelstiltskin snarled, his mood changing so fast it almost gave me whiplash. I peeked through the straw and watched. There was an apprehensive pause of silence. "You want to know about the Queen's threat," he said, now sounding calm as he spoke with his face nearly pressed up against the spiked bars.

"Tell us what you know," Snow demanded.

"Oooh, tense aren't we?" Rumpel said, toying with them. "Fear not. For I can ease your mind, but," he said, looking pleased with himself as he gestured with his hands. "it's gonna' cost ya' something in return," he said while nodding.

"_No_," Charming interjected. "I knew this was a waste of time," he added before making to leave, but Snow, disregarding her husband's words, drew closer to the bars.

"What do you want?" she asked with Charming right at her heels.

"Oh," Rumpelstiltskin began. "the name of your unborn child."

"_Absolutely not_," Charming said, but Snow interrupted.

"Deal," she said defiantly. "What do you know?"

Rumpel, still pressed against the bars looked elated. "Ahhh," he sighed in content. "the Queen has created a powerful curse. And it's coming. Soon you'll all be in a prison... _just like me!_ Only _worse! _Your prison, _all_ of our prisons will be time, and time will stop. And we'll all be trapped someplace horrible where everything we hold dear, _everything_ we love will be ripped from us while we suffer all eternity. While the Queen celebrates! _Victorious at last!_" he said, practically sounding like a madman while gesturing with his hand. There was a pause where the smile fell from his face. "No more happy endings," he said, deadpan.

Snow walked right up to the spiked bars. "What can we do?" she asked.

"_We_ can't do anything!" Rumpel replied.

"Who can?" Snow asked with furrowed brows.

Rumpel began to reach through the bars. "That little thing... growing inside your belly," he said as he touched his index finger to the bulge of her stomach. Charming drew his sword and smacked at the back of Rumpel's hand causing him to retract it with a hiss.

"Next time I cut it off," Charming postured.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Rumpel replied dangerously. "The infant is our only hope," he said to Charming before turning his head to face Snow. "Get the child to safety... Get the child to safety and on it's twenty-eighth birthday..." he said while closing his eyes as if he were trying to read the future in his minds eye. "The child will return... the child will find you... _and the final battle will begin!_" he said before bursting into sycophantic laughter.

"I've heard enough, we're leaving," Charming ordered as he started to steer Snow away. Rumpel continued to laugh psychotically until suddenly he was yelling. "_HEY! DON'T!_" he bellowed, the terrifying sound causing my hair to stand on end. "WE MADE A DEAL! I WANT HER NAME! WE HAD A DEAL! I-_NEED_-HER-NAME! _I WANT HER NAME!_"

"Her?" Charming stopped in his tracks to look over his shoulder at Rumpelstiltskin. "It's a boy," Charming said.

"Missy! Missy?" Rumpel called out, his voice suddenly soft again. Snow turned around to face him from several feet away. "You know I'm right?" Rumpel said. Snow blinked. "Tell me?" Rumpel urged her gently. "What's her name?"

Snow closed her eyes and there was a long silence. "Emma," she said quietly with a nod. "Her name is Emma." Charming stared at her with a shocked look on his face as they left the Dwarves' Mine.

"_Emma_," Rumpel repeated under his breath with a smile on his face before he abruptly turned and made his way to the back wall. I climbed out of the pile of straw and walked over to him as he retrieved a piece of rolled up parchment paper, a quill and a small bottle of ink from a crevise in the rocks.

"What're you doing?" I asked as I watched him dip the quill in the ink before writing the name 'Emma' over and over and over. At first he didn't reply and I decided it was probably best not to break the trance he had gone into, so I just stood there silently watching.

"Mmm, let's just say I'm making a future _investment_," he finally spoke while he continued to scratch Emma's name on the piece of parchment.

"This Curse... You say it will rip away everything that we hold dear? Well what about the people who don't really have anything? People like _me?_" I asked.

Rumpelstiltskin looked up from what he was doing and stared at me. "I suspect you will be with your boyfriend," he said simply.

I exhaled involuntarily. It felt like my heart had slammed to a halt upon such a devastating blow. "...Can you tell me what this other Land will be like..?" I asked as I tried not to let my mind race to horrid thoughts of being trapped in a lonely relationship for damn near eternity.

"I'm afraid I cannot say, Dearie, for even I have never journeyed there. Though, there is one thing I do know for certain," he paused before speaking again. "it will be a Land without magic." I blinked, dumbfounded at the idea of such a thing. No magic?

"And I suppose I won't remember any of this... will I?" I asked, starting to gather the direction this was going as I stared back into his orb-like eyes, my gaze unwavering.

"No," he said simply. "you won't." Although I was not surprised, it did not ease the pain any. It was just my luck (or lack there of) to be doomed to suffer in one way or another... I supposed it only seemed fitting that in this new Land I would suffer, as well.

"Of course not," I said with a stiff nod before I looked away, trying not to let the heartache seep in completely.

"But I will," Rumpel said.

"What?" I asked, caught off guard as I looked at him again.

"_I _will remember," he said coyly as I stared at him. "and I'll tell you what; I'll make you a promise that I will find you."

My heart swelled in my chest and I momentarily couldn't speak. "Y-you would do that?" I stuttered.

He chortled, the sound always startling to my senses. "But of course! I always keep my word, Dearie."

The verbal contract we had made popped into my mind right then, and I felt a little embarrassed that I had forgotten. "Oh-er... right," I laughed nervously. Suddenly I was struck with a concern. "But... how can you expect to honor an agreement if I won't even remember any of this in this other Land?"

"Oh, there are ways..." Rumpel replied with an arched brow and a suggestive expression on his face that had me all the more intrigued.

* * *

><p><strong>Storybrooke, Maine<strong>

As I sat in Mr. Gold's lap, our bodies _so _close that they fit together like a lock and key, he reached up and undid his tie before setting it aside on the night stand. He then placed both his hands on either side of my face and I closed my eyes, sighing in content as a complacent smile formed upon my lips. His hands were warm and welcoming.

Suddenly his mouth met mine and I kissed him full of hunger and a deep desire as I pressed my lips to his almost forcefully. He didn't shy away, but instead returned the kiss with his own kind of hunger and urgency as he explored my mouth with his tongue while he ran his hands through my hair... along my jawline...

Gold kept one hand in my hair while he trailed the other down my body. He stopped at the bottom of my shirt and began to lift it up. I tore my lips from his just long enough for him to pull my shirt over my head and toss it to the floor. The moment it was off, I was kissing him again... A song played on the stereo in the background; a catchy violin that caught my attention as a female vocalist began to sing.

'_You're so bad, but I wanna' taste a little_  
><em>Taste you have, come on over right now<em>  
><em>Take me down, I want your poison-' <em>The lyrics immediately made me think of Gold, and of my time spent with him in the Fairy-Tale Land when he was Rumpelstiltskin...

_'-I thought this was just a phase_  
><em>But everyday I slip, startin' over-er<em>  
><em>You crawl through my skin and I letchu' in<em>

_A little taste_  
><em>(Oooh) Ooooh<em>

_A little taste_  
><em>(Oooh) Ooooh'- <em>the female vocalist crooned the chorus to the beat of the music and I broke the kiss so that I could gaze into Gold's brown eyes. He gazed back into my blue ones and I felt my heart flutter in response.

"...Remember our first night together?" I breathed with a small smile on my face.

"How could I forget?" he said with a grin. "Lucky for me, you're a wiry little thing," he added, and I blushed.

_'-A little taste_  
><em>(Oooh) Ooooh<em>

_A little taste_  
><em>(Oooh)-' <em>I playfully ran my fingers along the hollow of Gold's throat, then trailed them down his chest, dipping them under the waistband of his pants before I came back up and slid them between the buttons on his shirt. All while maintaining a mischievous, sexy smile on my face.

_'-Oh, how you give me chills_  
><em>Hold my breath 'til it kills me<em>  
><em>Come on tear me apart, I'll rest in pieces<em>

_Don't stop, I haven't had enough_  
><em>You're mine 'til the sun comes up<em>  
><em>I can't have just one, one...<em>

_A little taste_  
><em>(Oooh) Ooooh<em>

_A little taste_  
><em>(Oooh) Ooooh-' <em>as the female vocalist crooned the chorus, I undid the last button and threw open Gold's shirt, exposing his chest. I bit my lower lip in yearning as I took in his form again and ran my hands along his soft skin. He briefly closed his eyes to enjoy the sensation and I took the opportunity to plant a few kisses on his pecs. The moment my lips touched his skin I heard him suck in a breath out of surprise. I smiled against his body at the reactions I caused him.

_'-A little taste_  
><em>(Oooh) Ooooh<em>  
><em>A little taste<em>

_A little taste_  
><em>(Oooh) Ooooh<em>  
><em>(Oooh, oooh)<em>

_Baby, I'm afraid_  
><em>But I like being frightened<em>  
><em>Baby, what's the deal with us?<em>

_Tick-tock round the idea_  
><em>I fold like a convent<em>  
><em>I pretend this isn't love-' <em>The lyrics caught my attention again, but I didn't want to think about the context they held for me and my situation lest I run the risk of ruining the moment. Something I certainly _didn't_ want to do. I was having too much fun and over thinking it was bound to cause a downward spiral.

_'-Baby, I just want your lovin', I_  
><em>Baby, I just want your lovin', I<em>  
><em>A little taste<em>

_(Oooh) Ooooh_  
><em>A little taste<em>  
><em>(Oooh) Ooooh-' <em> as the chorus played, I wrapped my arms around Mr. Gold's neck and locked them in place. I then took in a few deep breaths of his magnificent scent. That alone caused my brain to go fuzzy as blood flooded to my nether regions.

_'-A little taste_  
><em>(Oooh)<em>  
><em>Ooooh<em>  
><em>A little taste<em>

_A little taste_  
><em>(Oooh) Ooooh<em>  
><em>(Oooh, oooh)-' <em>

"Mmm, you smell so good..." I mumbled, amazed at how much his pheromones left me feeling dazed, but in a good way.

_'-Take me, I just want your lovin', I_  
><em>A little taste<em>  
><em>(Oooh)<em>

_Baby, I just want your lovin'_  
><em>(Oooh, oooh).' <em>The song on the stereo came to an end, and a new one started up with a ticking sound as it turned into techno and built up with bass until a warbling synth took over. Mr. Gold flashed me an incredibly devious look as a male vocalist began to sing in a suggestive voice.

_'So hot, out the box_  
><em>Can we pick up the pace?<em>  
><em>Turn it up, heat it up<em>  
><em>I need to be entertained-' <em>Gold turned with me in his lap and suddenly pushed me onto my back before I knew what was happening.

_'-Push the limit_  
><em>Are you with it?<em>  
><em>Baby, don't be afraid<em>  
><em>I'mma' hurt cha' real good, baby-' <em>he raised his brow seductively as he pinned me down by my wrists, causing my pulse to speed up.

_'-Let's go, it's my show_  
><em>Baby, do what I say<em>  
><em>Don't trip off the glitz<em>  
><em>That I'm gonna' display-' <em>It was my turn to shoot_ him _a coy look as I remembered what it was like when he was The Dark One... when he was Rumpelstiltskin...

_'-I told ya' I'mma' hold ya '_  
><em>Down until you're amaaazed<em>  
><em>Give it to ya' 'til you're<em>  
><em>Screamin' my name-' <em>the male vocalist sang in such a provocative way that it made me feel flustered. Especially when Gold brought his face to mine, but stopped just short of our lips touching so that I could feel the warmth emanating from them and the heat of his breath upon my skin.

_'-No escaping when I start_  
><em>Once I'm in I own your heart!<em>  
><em>There's no way you'll ring thee alarm<em>  
><em>So hold on until it's over!-' <em>the music suddenly grew louder and more intense for the chorus. I was immobilized by both his restraint, as well as my own madly fluttering heart.

_'-Oh! Do ya' know whatcha' got into?_  
><em>Can you handle what I'm 'bout to do?<em>  
><em>'Cause it's about to get rough for you<em>  
><em>I'm here for your entertainment-' <em>Gold crushed his lips to mine and my pulse thudded through my veins in response.

_'-Oh! I betchu' thought I was soft and sweet_  
><em>Ya' thought an angel swept you off ya' feeet<em>  
><em>But I'm about to turn up the heat<em>  
><em>I'm here for your entertainment-' <em>there was a short pause in instruments before the techno warbling came back, but in the process, Gold broke the kiss and my eyes shot open in surprise; he had my hands bound by his tie and now he was free to do what he pleased.

_'-It's alright, you'll be fine_  
><em>Baby, I'm in control<em>  
><em>Take the pain, take the pleasure<em>  
><em>I'm the master of both<em>

_Close your eyes_  
><em>Not your mind<em>  
><em>Let me into your soooul<em>  
><em>I'mma' work it 'til you're totally blown!-' <em>I tried to concentrate on the lyrics, my cheeks heavily flushed and my breathing uneven. But Gold was planting kisses down my abdomen and I lost all focus.

_'-No escaping when I start_  
><em>Once I'm in I own your heart!<em>  
><em>There's no way you'll ring thee alarm<em>  
><em>So hold on until it's over!'<em> Again, the instruments grew louder for the chorus of the song and I let myself go, completely giving myself to the moment as he began to remove my panties with his teeth.

_'-Oh! Do ya' know what ya' got into?_  
><em>Can you handle what I'm 'bout to do?<em>  
><em>'Cause it's about to get rough for you<em>  
><em>I'm here for your entertainment-' <em>the chorus played in the background as Gold placed both his hands on either side of my thighs and using his warm mouth, he made his way to my sweet spot. I flinched involuntarily the moment I felt his lips against my clit, but all I could think about was how amazing it felt as he trailed his tongue all around.

_'-Oh! I betcha' thought that I was soft and sweet_  
><em>Ya' thought an angel swept ya' off your feet<em>  
><em>Well I'm about to turn up the heat<em>  
><em>I'm here for your entertainment-'<em> as the song went into an instrumental segment and the male vocalist crooned, the beat and synth solo-ed with an 80's like electronica. I was moaning and gasping aloud, unable to contain myself as he slid one of his hands up and cupped my breast.

_'-Oh oh!_  
><em>(Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh)<em>  
><em>Oh oh!<em>  
><em>(For your entertainment)-' <em>Gold ran his thumb along my nipple in quick flicks that matched the rhythm of his tongue down below.

_'-Oh oh!_  
><em>(For your entertainment)<em>  
><em>(Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh)<em>

_I'm here for your entertainment_  
><em>Whoooa!<em>  
><em>Do you like what you seee?<em>  
><em>Whoooa, yeah, yeah!<em>  
><em>Let me entertain ya' 'til you screeeam!-' <em>the male vocalist crooned loudly, the lyrics making me blush, but also arousing me even further.

All of the sudden Gold plunged his tongue deep inside me, and I cried out. "_Uhhn!_" My body spasmed in response, my hands still bound by his tie as his mouth raped my sweet spot, bringing me closer and closer to climax.

_'-Oh! Do ya' know whatchu' got into?_  
><em>Can you handle what I'm 'bout to do? (To do!)<em>  
><em>'Cause it's about to get rough for you (For you!)<em>  
><em>I'm here for your entertainment<em>

_Oh, oh!_  
><em>I bet you thought that I was soft and sweet (Betcha' thought!)<em>  
><em>Ya' thought an angel swept ya' off your feet<em>  
><em>Well I'm about to turn up the heat<em>  
><em>I'm here for your entertainment.' <em>The song came to an end with an echo and synth sounds.

"Oh f-fuck, stop! Stop! I need you! I need you _now! I'm gonna' cum!_" I cried out. Gold stopped and my body twitched again, screaming out in protest. I was breathing so heavily I'd have thought I had just ran a marathon. I gazed up at him as he stared down his nose at me, a crooked, but oh so fucking sexy smirk on his face, and I watched as he undid his belt and trousers. "_Hurry!_" I begged breathlessly.

With a huge grin on his face, he took off the remainder of his clothes and quickly obliged in sliding between my legs. My heart was racing like mad as he hovered over me and the moment I felt him inside me, I moaned causing me to turn red as he and I held eye contact. And with every centimeter deeper he went, it just kept feeling better and better.

Just when I was worried I might cum merely from him filling me up, he bottomed out as his pelvic mound met mine. "Oh! _Uhhn!_" I whimpered.

"Enjoying yourself, are we?" Gold said, his face just inches from mine as he laid on top of me.

"_Oh God yes_," I replied instantly. He chuckled, and I couldn't tell if he was blushing or if it was just a sex flush. "Are you?"

"What do _you _think?" he replied as he thrust his hips. My jaw fell askew as I involuntarily mouthed indiscernible words and my body met the rhythm of his thrusts.

I bit my lower lip, my breathing heavy as I stared up into his brown eyes. While still hovering over me, he balanced on one arm and swept a few loose strands of hair from his face with his free hand. This time I thrust my hips particularly harder than normal, causing him to suck in a sharp breath. We were both on the brink of climaxing and together we fell over the edge. Our bodies shuddered against one anothers with pure and utter pleasure as we rode out the waves one-by-one until they decreased and we were left damn near gasping for breath.

Gold stared into my eyes with a soft smile on his face. A tender expression I had never seen before. It was intense. Without saying a word, he reached out and caressed the side of my cheek. I smiled and closed my eyes, concentrating on every single sensation to the fullest. I didn't want the moment to end, though as with all good things, I knew it had to eventually...

* * *

><p><strong>Please review! Hope you enjoyed this Chapter. Thank you for reading. <strong>

**~Satine**


	12. Chapter 12: Oh My Gold

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Super apologetic that this took me so long to write/post this chapter. Been really stressed and really busy the last half a year...  
><strong>

**Also, I just want to point out that I had written this story before it was revealed that Storybrooke was literally frozen in time before Emma came to the town, so you'll have to forgive the inconsistencies in that department.**

**DISCLAIMER: Respective rights belong to Disney's ABC. I write my story for NON-profit, entertainment purposes ONLY.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 12 - "Oh My Gold"<strong>

**Storybrooke, Maine**

I awoke the next morning, after a sex fueled night, to a parched mouth and an empty bed. I tossed on one of Gold's blue dress shirts and made my way downstairs to the kitchen where I found him cooking breakfast. He looked up from the stove and smiled at me as I stepped barefooted into the kitchen.

"Cute," he said in his Scottish brogue that I had grown to love so much. I returned the smile and did a little curtsey before I walked over and wrapped my arms around him from behind. "Hope you like omelets," he said, finishing up the last of the cooking before turning off the stove.

"I do," I replied while pulling out some silverware and plates from the cabinets above the counter. Gold served up the food as I retrieved some fresh orange juice from the fridge and poured two glasses. We carried our food from the kitchen into the conjoined living room and sat down together on the sofa where we ate in a peaceful silence.

Once I had finished, Gold kindly took the dish and cup from me, and set them on the nearby coffee table before he pulled out a small, flat square gift box. With a crooked smile, he handed it to me.

"What's this?" I asked with a curious expression on my face.

"Open it," he urged gently. I carefully removed the top of the navy blue box and inside rested a shuriken; a flat four-bladed metal 'throwing star', if you will. In the very center was a decorative Yin & Yang symbol. I was momentarily stunned by the item, as it was an object that had played a pivotal role in my Japanese heritage. "Do you like it?" Gold asked, and I realized I hadn't spoken for a few moments.

I looked up at him. "Yes. Very much so. Thank you," I replied, still in awe as I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around him. "Where- where did you find this?" I asked while looking at the shuriken closely. It wasn't just any shuriken... it was _my_ shuriken. Something that had been long lost when Regina's Curse had ripped us from our home Land.

"Over the years, I've managed to acquire many valuable things here in this world. One of which just so happened to be something of yours. I thought you would like to have it back," he explained.

I smiled. "Did you know that shuriken means 'sword hidden in the hand'?" I spoke while still turning the object over in my hands. "Technically this is a hira-shuriken to be exact," I went on as Gold politely listened.

"They were primarily used to cause either nuisance or distraction. Targeting usually the eyes, face, hands, or feet... The areas most exposed underneath ones armor. Of course, no one wears armor anymore," I added, somewhat ruefully. "It can also be thrown in a way that can cut the opponent and become lost, later causing them to believe that they were cut by an invisible swordsman," I said with a devious smirk.

"How tricky," Gold replied with a hint of sarcasm.

"Unfortunately not all of us possessed such _incredible_ magic like the great and powerful Rumpelstiltskin. Some of us had to create illusions in order to defeat our foes," I said while swatting at him teasingly.

There was a moment of silence before he spoke. "You know, dearie, I didn't _always_ possess magic..." I looked at him with a highly curious expression on my face. "Before I became The Dark One, I was just an ordinary man," he explained.

I waited for him to continue, but instead, he reverted the conversation. "Now you have something to protect yourself with. You can even use it as a handheld striking weapon in close combat. But," he paused for a brief instance. "I trust you know this is solely for self defense."

"_Well of course_," I replied with a scoff-laugh, almost offended at the prospect that he thought I was going to go around Storybrooke flaunting the weapon at every passerby... What kind of fool did he take me for..? "I think I know how to handle my own shuriken," I added, trying to sound playful.

* * *

><p><strong>The Dwarves' Mines<strong>

"Tell me about yourself, dearie," Rumpelstiltskin said as I watched him carefully return the parchment and now empty ink bottle back where he had retrieved them from within the crevices of the rock wall.

I blinked, slightly taken aback. "What do you want to know?" I asked, and he giggled in response.

"Whatever it is you might desire to share with me," he replied as he placed the tips of his fingers together and sauntered over to where I was, leaning against the spiked bars. I watched with baited breath at the way he moved; so fluid and so full of confidence. He stopped just a foot in front of me and reached out, cupping my face tenderly in his hands.

I closed my eyes, my heart beating faster than normal as I took a deep breath to steady myself. His presence still hadn't ceased to bring butterflies to my stomach. Was it the magic? Or was I just _that_ attracted to him?

When I opened my eyes, I was met with his burgundy gold orbs boring into my blue ones. Something I didn't think I could ever get used to. But it was in a good way... Almost like they had a hypnotizing quality. And perhaps they did.

"I suppose you're referring to why I sought you out..?" I replied finally.

"Let's just say, if you care to divulge the details, I certainly won't stop you," he said, his gaze unwavering as he slowly retracted his hands from my face and smirked coyly. I got the hint that he had a thirst for knowledge and wanted to know as to what drove me to his arms in the first place...

I took a deep breath. "Well," I began as I looked away, my eyes glazing over with memories. "my father died when I was young and my mother was left all alone to raise me. It was..." I faltered my voice straining slightly. "very difficult to say the least. I mean, it's not like I blame her for her decision. I know she just wanted to secure what she thought would be a 'good' life for me..." I rambled on.

Rumpelstiltskin, who was listening intently, moved to sit cross-legged on the ground and patted the pile of straw beside him. Without even hesitating, I sat down next to him. "You're being forced into an arranged marriage?" he said, cutting to the chase. I glanced into his eyes and saw a look of understanding in them that hadn't been there before.

"Yes," I replied simply.

"But I fail to see how your future-husband could possibly be dissatisfied..." he trailed off, and I blushed profusely.

"Is that your way of saying you think I'm pretty?" I teased, despite my shy nature that would've else wise had me bite my tongue.

"Don't be ridiculous, dearie," he retorted, the smile quickly fading from my face. He, however, merely chortled in amusement at my reaction. "You already know that you are a beauty," he replied, carefully watching my expressions. I stared at him completely dumbstruck. He had made me go from flattered, to self conscious and then back to flattered again all within a matter of moments.

"Wait, what-?" I replied before I could help myself. All of the sudden Rumpelstiltskin leaned toward me and I froze stiff as a board while his eyes bored into mine.

"You heard me," he said in a low voice as he remained just a few inches from my face. My heart sped up again and I wasn't sure if he was going to kiss me or not... Before I could realize what I was doing, my eyes involuntarily darted down to his lips for the briefest of instances. And it didn't go unnoticed.

A coy, almost seductive grin crossed his face as he processed what I was thinking. He closed the gap between our faces, placing his hands on either side of my face again as he pressed his lips to mine

My body sighed in response and I eagerly returned the kiss while I placed my hands on his chest. _Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump._ The sudden beat of his heart caused me to abruptly pull away, breaking the kiss with a gasp. I looked into his eyes with a shocked expression on my face.

"Y-your heart? It's-? I thought you...?" I faltered as I remembered how just last night when I had placed my hand on his chest there was no heartbeat.

"A parlor trick, my dear, nothing more," he replied as he leaned back in to kiss me. With an amused smile on my face, I decided it wasn't important enough for the time being to pursue over pleasure.

* * *

><p><strong>Storybrooke, Maine<strong>

I was walking down Main Street at a brisk pace with my hands tucked in my pockets as I tried to get back to my apartment as quickly as I could without actually running. I was just about to cross the intersection when all of a sudden a car sped in front of me -_BEEP! BEEP!_ The driver honked their horn, nearly clipping me with the passenger side mirror as they raced down the road.

My heart was palpitating from the event, but I managed to cross the street, my legs shaking with adrenalin. I paused to catch my breath. "_TIA!_" bellowed a male's voice and I didn't even have enough time to turn around before Trent was all over me. "_I know you weren't at Mary Margaret's!"_

"Hello, Trent," I said in a monotone as I stood below the Library's Clock Tower and faced a livid Trent.

"Turns out Mary Margaret _wasn't_ keeping a secret for you after all. As a matter of fact, I just spoke with her and she didn't have the slightest clue what I was talking about!" he barked. I glanced around nervously and saw that Archie Hopper was crossing the street right then with his dalmatian, Pongo. He was giving me a mingled look of pity and concern.

"Can we talk about this in private? People are beginning to stare," I said in a low voice. Trent scoffed, but thankfully complied. We walked the rest of the way back to the apartment in silence, and I could tell he was fuming, but I was just trying to figure out what I was going to say.

The moment we got in the door, he slammed it shut behind me, causing me to jump. "_So who are you sneaking around with behind my back, Tia?_" he demanded, but I didn't say anything. All of the sudden he grabbed me by my shoulders using a painfully firm grip. "_Answer me!_" he snapped while shaking me.

Despite my heart racing like mad, I somehow kept a calm look on my face as I stared into his cold, blue eyes. "No one," I lied, without even flinching. I had no guilt over lying to Trent when he so clearly had no guilt when it came down to lying to me. "Now get your hands off me," I said while pulling away from him.

He removed his hands from me and balled them up into fists, his entire body trembling ever so slightly. "_You're a Goddamn liar,_" he said in a dangerously low tone. However, I was not afraid of him. Instead, I leaned in real close.

"And what does that make _you?_" I asked in the same dangerous tone he had used. _SMASH!_ Trent's fist hit the wall behind me, causing the apartment to shudder. My heart was hammering away like mad, but I knew I had caught him. Even if he tried to deny it, I knew I was right and that he was the one who couldn't be trusted first. He needed to know what it felt like.

"You think this is funny?" he asked.

"No! I never wanted things to be this way! You were the one who pushed me away first! You're the one who played me like it was all some sort of sick, twisted, game!" I snapped.

"That's not true, I _never _did anything to you!" he shouted back. My jaw flew open in incredulous hopelessness. I could not believe how ignorant he was and I could not believe that he would not admit to screwing around on me. If I could never get the truth out of him, then I would forever be stuck in a completely fucked limbo. A true punishment, no - a true _Curse,_ indeed.

"_You're fucking nuts... You're mental_... I-I can't even talk to you anymore," I said in utter defeat, torn between wanting to scream, cry and run away all at once. The sense to flee was beginning to overtake all my thoughts. I just wanted to get the hell away from Trent. Seeing him, just being in his presence was driving me insane. I began to feel the urge to do something dumb, like hurt myself... or him.

"_I'm _mental?" Trent replied in his own tone of incredulousness that nearly sent me over the edge. I couldn't understand how he could think he was so innocent and that I was so at fault.

I turned away from him, my mind racing as I tried to figure out what to do with myself. I couldn't stop thinking about just darting from the apartment. Maybe running straight into traffic and properly doing myself off this time...

"I gotta' get out of here," I muttered hysterically as I went to leave, but Trent intentionally blocked my path. "_MOVE!_" I bellowed as I tried to push past him, but he fought to not let me by.

"_NO!_" he replied angrily as I continued to struggle to get past.

"_I need to get away from you!"_ I shouted as I started to use what little strength I had to shove him aside. He fought back even harder, and in turn I did, as well.

"_Who are you running to, Tia?_" Trent pried angrily.

_"No one!_" I yelled, still trying desperately to shove past him to no avail.

"_Stop lying to me! _I _know _you're lying!" he yelled.

"_Not until you stop lying to me!_" I retorted before I could help myself.

"_I knew it! I fucking knew it! Who is it, Tia? WHO THE FUCK IS IT? TELL ME!_" Trent roared, completely disregarding the huge role he played in everything.

"I'll never tell you, Trent!" I said almost gleefully; the only thing I could lord over him.

"_You fucking, bitch!_" he snapped, a fine mist of spit actually flying from his mouth and splattering me in the face. I clenched my fists in anger.

"None of this would have ever happened if you hadn't fucked around on me with that Amanda _whore_," I said, fighting to keep my voice from wavering.

"She made me feel special, what can I say?" Trent retorted, but the moment he had spoken, I saw a flash of regret in his eyes. However, I couldn't deny that it was a drastic blow to my heart. So much so that it almost choked me up for an instant. I could feel the overwhelming prickle of tears in my eyes as I fought to keep my breathing from going out of control... and myself.

"Oh, and I didn't?_ You're a fucking bastard, you know that? _All I've ever been is a faithful, dedicated partner to you, and you know how you repaid me?" I paused momentarily. "By neglecting me time-and-time again. But that's okay, you know why?" I paused once more for effect. "Because thanks to you, I now know what it's like to _truly_ be _satisfied_ by a man. And I'm talking about a _real_ man, Trent. Not a little boy-!"

_-SMACK! _"YOU STUPID FUCKING BITCH!" Trent bellowed, losing control. He had struck me across the face. Involuntary tears were streaming down my cheek as the stinging turned into a humming numb. I had staggered back from the blow, but still turned to him with a look of pure hatred on my face. My hand shot to the pocket of my hoodie and I had to stop myself from grabbing my shuriken, and slicing his throat.

Instead, I lunged forward with a animalistic roar and grabbed him by the fabric of his shirt before shoving him as hard as I possibly could into the nearby coffee table. -_SMASH! _Glass shattered as he landed on his back and I felt a twisted sense of satisfaction.

_-KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK_. Someone was rapping loudly at the door.

"_Just fucking great! It's probably the Sheriff! Someone must've called the cops on us!_" Trent hissed.

Without saying a word, I opened the door and with a tear soaked face I was ready to defend myself to Sheriff Graham. However, my heart faltered and I was momentarily stunned when I instead found myself face-to-face with Mr. Gold. My jaw fell askew as Trent came up behind me.

"Why don't you let the Sheriff in, Tia? Show him what you've done to the place with all your hysterical-!" Trent fell short when he realized it was not the Sheriff. "-Mr. Gold? What..? What are you doing here?" he asked, even more dumbstruck than I.

"Well, I was here for the rent, but..." Mr. Gold began as he glanced at the hole in the wall behind me and then at the broken glass on the floor. "I can see it's a bit of a bad time?" he said while giving Trent a pointed look. One that I could tell actually bothered Trent. "Perhaps you just want to pay me real quick and I'll be on my way?" Mr. Gold asked, though I could tell it was not a request so much as a demand.

"Uh, yes, of course," Trent replied, sounding all scatter-brained as he backed away from the two of us standing in the doorway and went into the bedroom to retrieve the rent money. I exhaled loudly.

"Are you okay?" Mr. Gold whispered as he turned his attention upon me the very instant Trent was out of eye sight.

"...yeah," I nodded stiffly. His brown eyes scanned my face and all the distress it held, along with both the red marks on my arms from when Trent had grabbed me and along my cheek where he had struck me. Gold's brow furrowed as he reached out and gently caressed my tear stained, swollen cheek, and I could tell he was imagining dark things happening to Trent. As was I.

"Here you are," Trent returned with the money and handed it over to Mr. Gold who glared at him while taking it.

"Good afternoon, Miss Oakumura," Mr. Gold said with a small nod before he turned and began to walk away, completely ignoring Trent. I had to refrain from smirking and as much as I wanted to watch Mr. Gold go, I knew I was on thin ice as it was, so I shut the door and faced Trent once more.

"Well, you gonna' make dinner or what?" he asked with an attitude. I sighed and without a word, went into the kitchen to cook dinner. Though while I cooked, I kept imaging what it'd be like if I poisoned his food...

After we had both finished eating, I stood at the sink washing the dishes when there was a gentle knock at the door. "For crying out loud..." Trent complained as he got up to answer the door. My mind jumped to thoughts of Mr. Gold, though I had no idea what reason he would possibly have to come back here... -_SLAM! _"_What the fuck is this?_" Trent demanded as he turned to face me with a package in his hands.

I turned off the water and hurried to dry my hands on my pants as I made my way into the living room. "I don't know?" I replied truthfully.

"It's for you," Trent said, sounding accusatory.

"Who delivered it?" I asked as I reached out to take it from him. At first he didn't let go of the package, as if he didn't want me to have it and wasn't going to.

"Some little boy..." Trent replied.

I furrowed my brow. "Some little boy?" I repeated, clearly confused.

"Yeah, Mayor Mills kid. So what's in the box?" he asked, eying the package suspiciously.

Hesitating briefly, I carefully opened the box. A soft gasp escaped my lips before I could help myself. Inside was a beautiful dress; not something you would see in just any ol' store either. It looked _expensive_. I ran my fingers along the soft fabric. It _felt_ expensive. On top of the dress rested a gorgeous pair of open-toe heels.

"..._Oh my Gold,_" I said under my breath with a small smile.

"What?" Trent asked with furrowed brows.

"I said, 'oh my God'," I lied.

Trent scoffed loudly. "If you think I'm gonna' let you go out with that-!" Trent started to say as he took a few steps toward me and tried to snag the box out of my hand, but I quickly moved out of his reach.

"_-let me?_" I replied incredulously. "You can't control me, Trent. Just as I can't control you. So why don't you go have a hay-day with Amanda, huh? What's stopping you?"

Trent looked at me with a mixture of anger and confusion. _Good._ It was about time he felt what I had been cursed to feel for so, so many years... He grabbed his beer that was sitting on the counter and downed the rest of its contents before crinkling the can, throwing it to the floor and going to the fridge where he cracked open a new one. He glared at me as he chugged that one, too.

It was an uncomfortable evening, but I managed to get through it and had waited until Trent passed out, drunk on the couch after drinking more than a six-pack to himself before I decided to get dressed-up in the clothes that were sent.

As I stood in front of the mirror, my reflection looking back at me didn't feel like myself. I looked... amazing. Something I had never associated with myself before. I quietly put on my coat and made my way down to Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop where I knocked on the back door when I arrived.

When he answered, he stared at me for a moment, taking in my appearance. "You look stunning, my dear," he said while stepping aside so that I could come in. He closed the door and turned to face me while casually leaning on his cane.

"Thanks," I replied in a breathy voice. "I don't even know what would've happened had you not showed up earlier..." I said with a sigh, trying to shake off the tension I felt.

"Come here," Gold said softly as he rested his cane beside the desk and extended his arms to me. Without hesitation, I wrapped my arms around him and held on tightly. "I'm proud of you for not using your shuriken on him."

I laughed and looked up into his brown eyes. He was closer to being right than I cared to admit. "I told you, I know better than that..." I replied as I pulled away from him and hopped up onto the work desk that was in the back of the shop, my dress being hiked up in the process.

"If he had hurt you..." Gold said, trailing off as he ran his fingertips along my exposed thighs. I shuddered at the sensation of his light touch and the goosebumps that formed.

"What if he had?" I asked, unable to help my burning curiosity. Gold looked intensely into my eyes.

"I would have hurt him," he said simply as I continued to stare into his eyes intently, an overwhelming sensation flooding my body and my brain.

As I sat on the desk, I wrapped my legs around Gold's waist and using them, I pulled him close to my body until his groin was pressed up against mine. The fabric of his pants tightened and I could feel a bulge beginning to grow. I grinned as I wound my hands in his hair and pulled his face down to mine. Our lips just barely brushed against one anothers before we were interrupted by the sound of the shop bell.

_-Ka-jingle, jingle._

We both let out an exasperated sigh. "_Gold?_" a woman called out, sounding impatient. The startled look on Mr. Gold's face caused my heart to palpitate. That, and the fact that he put his index finger to his lips gesturing for me to be quiet. With his eyes still lingering on me, he snagged his cane from beside the desk and made his way through the curtains and to the front of the shop.

"Well, hello, Mayor Mills. What can I do for you today?" I heard him ask. My stomach knotted up at the thought that the Evil Queen was _just _a matter feet away from me.

"You can cut the crap. I know you sold me faulty merchandise," she snapped, followed by the sound of something being tossed on the counter with a _clatter_. Mr. Gold let out a chuckle and I couldn't resist from inching my way closer to the curtain, perhaps to get a peek at the infamous Regina Mills.

"Oh? Is that so?" Gold challenged, sounding amused. "Dearie, I _never _sell faulty merchandise. It's just not in my nature."

"Then explain to me _why _it didn't work?" Regina demanded. I heard the sound of the object on the counter being picked up.

"Perhaps you didn't use it correctly," Mr. Gold replied coolly. There was a moment of silence in which I could practically _feel _the intense stare down that took place.

"I used it _exactly _how you told me to," she said in a dangerously low tone. "So if anything went wrong, it wasn't on my end."

Mr. Gold laughed and I quietly hopped down from the table before tip-toeing to the curtain where I peeked out through a narrow slit. "Don't be so sure, dearie," Gold said as he held out something I couldn't quite make out. "Why don't you try again?"

Regina glared at him before snatching the item from his hand. "You think this is funny, don't you?" she asked with a sneer.

Mr Gold rested both his hands on his cane and smirked. "Why, what ever do you mean?"

Regina opened her mouth to reply, but her eyes suddenly darted in my direction. Startled, I quickly stepped back from the curtain and in the process, bumped into a shelf which caused everything to rattle and a trinket to fall. I snagged the object before it hit the floor, but I had still managed to make a bit of noise. I couldn't tell how loud it had all been because I could hardly even hear over the sound of my own racing heart.

"Am I interrupting something, Gold?" Regina's sickly sweet voice carried through the entire shop and I could imagine the evil grin on her face as she spoke. "Who do you have back there?" I heard her say, suddenly followed by the sound of footsteps drawing near the curtain. I sucked in a deep breath involuntarily and saw the silhouette of Mr. Gold through the curtain as he swiftly put his cane up against the door frame, blocking Regina's path.

"I do believe that's none of your business," he replied.

"Oh, touchy, are we?" she challenged. "What's her name?" There was a pause of silence. "Fine then. Have it your way, Gold, I'll just have a look for myself-" I was frozen to the spot as I saw Regina's silhouette place her hand on his cane.

"I don't think so, Dearie. _Please _leave," he added, sounding agitated. Things went quiet again.

"I guess the rumors are true then." she said, sounding angry.

"Rumors?" Mr. Gold asked casually.

"Oh you know," she replied. "something along the lines of you putting yourself back on the market? Though, isn't that Oak girl a bit young for you?" Regina asked, but continued on before he could reply. "Well, then again you always did like them young..."

Mr. Gold chuckled in amusement, though part of me felt that it was a facade he put on to remain in control. "Ahh, yes, just like you and pretty boy Sheriff Graham?" There was another moment of silence in which I could only assume Regina was glaring at Mr. Gold again.

"We're done here," she retorted before I heard the sound of her footsteps receding to the door.

"Indeed we are," Mr. Gold replied as Regina threw open the front door- _ka-jingle, jingle _and exited the shop swiftly. Gold pushed back the curtain to the back of the shop and shook his head at me. "Apparently I can't even leave you alone for a few minutes," he said, sounding exasperated.

"...Sorry," I mumbled ruefully. I hadn't meant to cause him any trouble, but the fact that there was already a rumor going around town about me and him didn't exactly put my mind at ease. That, and I was wondering what Regina had meant by him 'liking them young'... Clearly I wasn't the first girl he had made a similar deal with..?

I sighed without realizing it, knowing that I couldn't just outright ask him such a blatant and personal question. Nor should I in all reality... It wasn't exactly any of my concern, despite the fact that it made my blood boil at the thought alone.

"I suppose you couldn't help yourself," Mr. Gold said, regaining my attention. I looked at him. "You've never seen the Queen before, have you?" he asked, a playful smirk on his face.

"No," I replied and was relieved that he understood.

"Well," he said as he closed the gap between us. "what'd you think?"

I blinked, a little dumbstruck. "She's kinda' scary," I replied.

He laughed. "I assure you, her bark is worse than her bite."

I looked up at him as we stood a foot apart and placed my hands on his chest. "If you say so," I replied, but was a bit leery. She _was _the Evil Queen after all... But then again _he _was Rumpelstiltskin. _Thee _Dark One. "And I presume _your_ bite is worse than your bark?"

He bared his teeth at me in a way that reminded me of his former-self. "Good. You're learning," he said as he placed his hands on my hips. "Now, where were we?" he asked while he leaned into me, his lips capturing mine in a passionate kiss.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you enjoyed this chapter. :) PLEASE review! Thank you, Dearies! ;D<br>**

**~Satine~**


	13. Chapter 13: Man On The Run

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey, hey! Sorry for taking this long to finally post a new Chapter. Been through a lot of stuff in the past year. I won't bore you with teh drama though!**

**Songs used: "Take You Higher" BY: Goodwill & Hook N Sling.**

**"Man On The Run" BY: Dash Berlin Cerf featuring Mitiska Jaren.**

**DISCLAIMER: Respective rights belong to Disney's ABC. I write for NON-profit, entertainment purposes ONLY. :)**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 13 - "Man On The Run"<strong>

**Storybrooke, Maine**

Gold gently lay me back on the slick brown leather seat cushions, but my immediate response was to sit up.

"Wait-! Don't we have to buckle up or- or something?" I stammered while nervously glancing around the small private jet. I'd never flown before and was scared of mere carnival rides or even being in an elevator; so it was only natural that I would be terrified of the prospect of flying.

In all truth, I wasn't even quite sure _how _he had managed to talk me into getting on the damn thing to begin with... Gold's soft lips abruptly captured mine in a passionate kiss, momentarily distracting me from my thoughts as his hands cupped my face tenderly, sending shivers dancing up my spine.

"Not when you own the plane and are good friends with the pilot," he broke the kiss long enough to reply. "Just relax," he urged gently before we resumed kissing.

The plane began to taxi it's way to the proper location on the small town's runway and my stomach knotted up just at the small amount of bouncing. Gold pressed a button on a tiny silver remote and a steady, but relaxing song with violin and guitar started playing through the over head speakers.

_'She said, "Hello, Mister_  
><em>Pleased to meet ya'..."-' <em> the male vocalist crooned as Gold continued to occupy my attention with a barage of intimate kisses. My breathing was uneven as I focused on the sensation of his lips against mine and nothing else.

_'-I wanna' hold her_  
><em>I wanna' kiss her...-' <em>between each pause in the vocals, I could feel my heart beating like mad, almost painfully so.

_'-Gonna' take her for a ride on a big jet plane...-' _Gold broke the kiss again.

"Here we go," he whispered as I felt the plane start to speed up and I could hear the sound of the engines roaring.

_'-Gonna' take her for a ride on a big jet plane-' _I sucked in an involuntary breath and buried my face into his chest as the jet lurched, shoving us back into our seats. I glanced around with a wide eyed expression; everything was tilted as the plane ascended higher and higher.

_'-Hey, hey (Hey, hey, hey ,hey)-'_ the techno beat came in right then for an intense solo as the vocals echoed and I clutched tightly onto Gold's shirt as if my life depended upon it. He chuckled at me, placing his hands over mine in a comforting gesture.

_'-Hey, hey (Hey, hey, hey, hey)_  
><em>Hey, hey (Hey, hey, hey, hey)-' <em>as the male vocalist sang, I looked up and saw that Gold was gazing into my eyes in a way that made me feel safe. I slackened my grip on his shirt.

_'-Hey, hey (Hey, hey, hey hey)_  
><em>Hey, hey (Hey, hey, hey, hey)<em>

_Can I take you_  
><em>Take you higher?-'<em>

"Aren't you scared?" I breathed as the plane reached altitude.

_'-Can I take you_  
><em>Take you higher?-'<em> there was a violin and guitar solo again as the song slowed.

Gold grinned broadly. "I will admit," he began. "flying through the air at six-hundred miles per hour in a metal box isn't usually my cup o' tea, however," he paused briefly. "at the moment I'm currently '_blessed_' with a very pleasant distraction," he said while looking at me in a seductive manner.

_'-She said, "Hello, Mister_  
><em>Pleased to meet ya'..."- <em>All of the sudden he moved down my body and slid the fabric of my panties aside before penetrating me, not with his member, but with his tongue. I gasped out rather loudly, my hands tightly gripping his shirt again, but this time for a different reason.

_'-I wanna' hold her_  
><em>I wanna' kiss her...-' <em>Gold buried his face between my legs as he thrust his tongue inside, deeper and deeper.

_'-She smell of daisy_  
><em>She smell of daisies...-' <em>I clung onto his shoulders, no longer thinking about being afraid... All I could think about was his mouth on me... exploring...

_'-She drive me crazy_  
><em>She drive me crazy...-'<em> the song started picking up in tempo once more and Gold abruptly stopped, pulling away just long enough to pull out his throbbing member before penetrating me.

_'-Gonna' take her for a ride on a big jet plane..._  
><em>Gonna' take her for a ride on a big jet plane-'<em> I cried out in pleasure, the double entendra of the lyrics made me feel so naughty. He was taking me for a ride on a _big jet plane_ alright... Moan after moan escaped my lips.

_'-Hey, hey (Hey, hey, hey, hey_  
><em>Hey, hey (Hey, hey, hey, hey)<em>

_Hey, hey (Hey, hey, hey, hey)_  
><em>Hey, hey (Hey, hey, hey, hey)<em>  
><em>Hey, hey (Hey, hey, hey hey)-' <em>As he hovered over me, I stared into his brown eyes and in that moment, I felt a kind of bridled passion and an intense bond that I had never experienced with anyone other than him.

_'-Can I take you_  
><em>Take you higher?<em>  
><em>Hey, hey (Hey, hey, hey, hey)<em>  
><em>Hey, hey (Hey, hey, hey, hey)<em>

_Can I take you_  
><em>Take you higher?<em>  
><em>Hey, hey (Hey, hey, hey, hey)<em>  
><em>Hey, hey (Hey, hey, hey, hey)-'<em> Still full of nothing but pure desire, I reached out and pulled his face to mine, kissing him feverishly. He reciprocated the passion at an equal burning intensity. Something I still hadn't grown accustomed to, nor had I gotten my fill of quite yet. I wasn't sure if I ever would...

_'-Can I take you_  
><em>Take you higher?<em>  
><em>Hey, hey (Hey, hey, hey, hey)<em>  
><em>Hey, hey (Hey, hey, hey, hey)<em>

_Can I take you_  
><em>Take you higher?<em>  
><em>Hey, hey (Hey, hey, hey, hey)<em>  
><em>Hey, hey (Hey, hey, hey, hey).'<em>

* * *

><p><strong>The Dwarves' Mines<strong>

"I want to make you cum again," Rumpelstiltskin cooed in my ear, causing goosebumps to form on the surface of my skin. I sucked in an involuntary breath as my cheeks flushed in mingled embarrassment and desire. I turned around to face him, our bodies pressed together in the dimly lit prison cell. I glanced into his eyes. His hypnotic, entrancing eyes that always seemed to make my heart falter.

I wasn't quite sure if it was merely the intensity behind them or if perhaps there was something else... I didn't exactly want to entertain the idea that he might actually have feelings for me beyond our spoken agreement that had been, as far as I could tell, solely based on lust and carnal pleasures. That was enough for me... for now anyways.

I stared into Rumpelstiltskin's eyes and grinned playfully in response. "What if I don't want to?" I teased.

"Oh, I highly doubt that," he retorted as he placed both his hands on either side of my face and pulled me in for a kiss. The moment his hands touched my cheeks, my eyes closed and I could feel myself giving into him.

"_Mmm_," I moaned as he trailed kisses from my lips, along my jawline, my neck and collar bone. My heart sped up and my eyes rolled into the back of my head in response. Just the way he touched me felt so pleasurable. It was like I had never known true ecstasy until this night. Was it from some sort of magical enchantment making me feel this good, or was he just a talented lover..?

"I want to taste you," Rumpelstiltskin whispered, almost inaudibly. My eyes shot open and my cheeks burned hot with embarrassment.

"W-what?" I stammered, my brain suddenly whirling. He looked at me and chuckled, not in his sing-song voice, but in a seductive way that only furthered my flustered body.

"_I-want-to-taste-you_," he said again, enunciating his words as he began to move down my body. My heart spasmed and I tried to squirm away without thinking, but he quickly pinned me down by my thighs and buried his face between my legs.

"_Oh-!_" I cried out in both surprise and pleasure as his warm, wet mouth explored my nether regions.

My hands darted down, gripping at his shoulders until I was able to dig my fingertips into the fabric of his shirt. Every time he would do something particularly pleasant, I would involuntarily squeeze tighter in response. I opened my eyes, having not even realized I had them closed and glanced down shyly; the sight of Rumpel's face buried in my mound made my heart jump into my throat.

Suddenly his eyes locked with mine and my heart palpitated painfully. He stared me down as he ate me out, using not just his tongue, but his hands, as well. My eyes kept wanting to shut from the euphoria I was feeling. Instead they rolled into the back of my head as I felt myself come close to the precipice of climax.

* * *

><p><strong>Storybrooke, Maine<strong>

By the time Gold and I got home, it was growing dark and another storm was rolling in. The air was beginning to feel humid and uncomfortable. He pulled the car into his driveway and I quickly hopped out. On a random whim, I climbed on top of the hood of his black Cadillac.

"What're you-?" Gold began with an incredulous look on his face, but before he could finish his sentence, I pulled him on top of me and pressed my lips firmly to his.

At first he seemed taken aback, but quickly complied as I felt him kiss me back careful and deliberately. His hand wound along my lower back as he pressed his body into mine so that I could feel his arousal. I felt a sense of pride to know that I could make his body react that way with such ease. I imagined he felt the same way when it came down to how wet he made me...

I moaned gently into his mouth, not on purpose, but I didn't bother letting it embarrass me like usual. Nothing could distract me at the moment. Gold grinned against my mouth, accidentally breaking the kiss.

"The stubble on your face," I breathed, all hot and bothered as I looked into his brown eyes.

"What about it?" he asked, still grinning.

"It grazes against my skin when we kiss," I said, still breathing heavily and feeling very flustered.

"I apologize, Dearie. I will shave it off as soon as we get upstairs," he replied.

"_No_," I said quicker than I meant to. My cheeks turned red as he cocked his head to the side in a highly curious manner. "I- I really like the way it feels," I confessed with a stammer.

"_Oh really?_" he replied in a coy tone as he slowly pressed his lips to mine again, allowing the sensation of his barely there stubble to cause my nerve-endings to fire off in a pleasureful manner. I wanted more. I ran my fingers through his silken hair and pressed my lips to his more forcefully, grinding his facial hair against my skin even more.

* * *

><p><em>Gold moved his hand down Sarah's lower back, along her soft thighs... between them, touching her underneath her dress. She sucked in a breath and the both of their breathing became harder. For the longest time, they stood there like that, in the darkness with the storm all around them; damp, hot, necking. <em>

_After planting several kisses along her neck and collar bone, she whimpered in pleasure, her body writhing against his, only furthering his arousal. He grinned against her shoulder at the reactions he caused her. And the reactions she caused him._

_"I haven't done this since puberty..." he whispered._

_"This..?" Sarah asked breathlessly._

_"Making out... Fooling around with my clothes on," he clarified, still grinning. He pressed his hard-on against her so she could feel his desire for her. "Getting so frustrated, I almost can't take it," he purred in her ear. "I just might have to take you right here," he said in a dangerous, yet seductive tone._

* * *

><p>I shuttered at both Gold's breath in my ear and his words. I swallowed hard, and when I had managed to regain my composure, I playfully pushed him off me, hopped down from the hood of his car and lead him to the front door of his house.<p>

"What would your neighbors think?" I teased as we made our way across the lawn.

"If I had to guess, they would probably be overwhelmed with the sudden urge to touch themselves upon seeing such a beautiful creature as yourself acting in such a carnal way," he replied in his silken voice and with a wolfish grin as he pulled out the house keys.

I was both embarrassed, stunned and flattered all at once as I stood behind him and pressed my breasts into his back. Due to my arousal, my nipples were poking out against the fabric of my dress. I reached around his body and stroked his package through his pants.

"_Hurry_. Before my nipples cut through my blouse," I breathed. He let out a small groan that made me even more aroused than I already was. He hurried to unlock the door and once we were inside, I leaned against it, and pulled him toward me. I wrapped one leg around his hips and brought him extra close for an intense kiss.

* * *

><p><em>Once Gold had Sarah upstairs, he trailed more kisses along her neck and collar bone. She moaned, causing him to grin. He caught her off guard by scooping her up into his arms and falling back onto the bed with her. He sprawled out over her body, kissing her hard. Reaching under her dress, she slid off her underwear and dropped them on the floor. Then she tugged at his pants, pulling them open. She curled her hand around his member and felt him tense.<em>

_She moved to climb on top of him and clutched his member again. "I can feel you pulsing," she whispered before suddenly wrapping her lips around him. He involuntarily flinched at the sensation of her wet, warm mouth sucking on him. It was almost too much to bare. Almost. He closed his eyes, trying to soak in every glorious moment. He hadn't felt such pleasure in so long..._

_Before he realized it, his hands were in her hair, but he was not pulling or yanking. He just wanted to run his fingers through her soft locks. The one who was bringing him so much ecstasy. His eyes lazily opened and he gazed down at her; her beautiful face concentrated on making him feel so good. This had been the best deal he had ever struck._

_It wasn't long before he could feel his orgasm beginning to build and quite rapidly so. He carefully placed his hands on either side of her face and gently lifted. Her blue eyes fluttered open in surprise, but she understood. With one last movement, she slipped her mouth from him and sat up._

_"Tell me what __**you**__ need," he whispered to her._

_"You," she said playfully. "Inside me." And with that, he pulled her over him so she could position herself. When she did, she sank down the tiniest bit, caught her breath and hesitated. She placed both hands on his chest, gasped, and sank more._

_Gold lifted up and pressed himself as deep as he could go until he'd buried himself inside her. He heard her groan and felt the way her inner muscles worked him. She was so tight... so wet... Together, they found the perfect rhythm._

_Lowering herself onto her forearms, she leaned forward and nibbled at his bottom lip before kissing him hard. This new position drove him even deeper, bringing her clitoris into contact with his shaft with each powerful, solid thrust. Together they felt the beginning of their climax._

_Against his mouth she cried out, still kissing him with hunger, grinding herself against him, harder and faster... harder and faster. Gold felt himself reaching his peak, too. He knew he could not last much longer and was relieved that she was so close._

_Suddenly, she arched back, a glorious sight the way the light danced off her skin and he watched as she rode out her orgasm. Letting himself go, he groaned with her, stunned by the power of what she made him feel. The release continued until he was drained, until the aftershocks faded and she sprawled down over him._

_In this moment it was amazing how close he felt to her. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt like this... And with the way things always had a tendency to come to an end, nor did he think he wanted to remember._

* * *

><p>It was late... The constant flashing and rumbling of the storm had kept me awake. Due to the restlessness of being unable to sleep, I somehow made the decision that it would be a 'good' idea to stalk Trent. To finally get a solid answer about what he was doing behind my back. I didn't want to feel guilty after having a good time anymore.<p>

Before I knew what I was doing, I was stealing Gold's car keys from his pants pocket, and driving his Cadillac to my apartment in search of Trent... I hadn't actually expected to see him hopping into his Trail Blazer when I drove past the complex. It felt like fate. Like I had no choice but to follow him now. And I did.

I sat in Mr. Gold's car and watched Trent park in front of Archie Hopper's house. He got out of the vehicle and started to walk down the sidewalk. I had the urge to follow, but I knew that if I actually wanted to find out where he was going, I would have to be patient. I continued to watch in silence as he walked almost completely out of my range of sight.

I anxiously bounced my leg and fought the urge to hop out of the car. Suddenly Trent turned down someone's sidewalk and approached an unfamiliar house. This had to be it. This had to be Amanda's house. And sure enough, the whore itself came outside and threw her arms around his neck in an all-to-intimate embrace.

My fists clenched the steering wheel causing my knuckles to turn white. Once I realized this, I immediately let go and shook my head. What was I doing? Why did I care? What the fuck was wrong with me? I started to reach for the ignition, prepared to just go back to Gold's house before he realized I was missing from bed and that his car was missing from the garage.

But just before my hand touched the key, Trent and Amanda had turned and began heading back toward his vehicle. I ducked down and peeked over the dashboard as they jumped into his Trail Blazer and drove off. Curiosity got the best of me and I quickly turned the car on; a song from the radio started playing. It had a steady beat that slowly began to add more and more techno sounds.

I crept out into the street and followed Trent's vehicle at a safe distance. A female vocalist crooned in the backdrop as even more instruments joined into the song, the beat getting a little more intense. I quickly spotted his SUV at a nearby park, as well as the two of them holding hands as they began to walk through the grassy field.

_'You stole a kiss and stole my heaaart-' _ the female vocalist sang. I was already seething inside. My hands gripping the steering wheel so tight that they had gone numb.

_'-Made me a fool right from the staaart-'_ My chest was heaving and falling in such a rapid succession that I thought I might hyperventilate.

_'-It wouldn't have been so bad except-'_ It was one thing to imagine Trent having an affair with Amanda, but it was another thing to actually see it.

_'-This little plan, it fell apaaart_

_If I were yooou..-' _By the time of the brief pause in vocals I was seeing nothing but red. In a blind rage, I turned the volume up on the radio so that it was blasting the music loud enough to be heard from a distance.

_'-I'd dare not speak...-' _Trent and Amanda spun around wildly, having thought that they were alone up until this point.

_'-I'd run like hell...-' _I rolled down the windows so the lyrics could be heard more clearly and I put the car into gear.

_'-In hopes of seein' tomorrow_  
><em>(Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow)-' <em>the female vocalist's voice echoed as the song went into an instrumental solo. I slammed my foot on the gas and drove the car right up onto the curb, and straight in the direction of the two of them.

Without hesitation, Amanda screamed and took off running with Trent right at her heels. I had the music blaring through the open windows, and continued to drive across the field, tearing up the grass and dirt. Every so often I would have them in front of the headlights and imagine them as stupid deer. Whenever they swerved, so did I.

"_OH MY GOD, HELP! HELP, PLEASE! SOMEBODY, HELP!" _Amanda screamed out into the night. The only response was the song building in a trance solo.

_'-It's such a travesty_  
><em>The way you say our love should be<em>  
><em>Yeah, such a tragedy<em>  
><em>Think you can just break my heart and leave me?<em>

_Well you better run now_  
><em>Man on the run<em>  
><em>Playin' for fun<em>  
><em>Wind me up, leave me undone-<em>' Trent and Amanda continued to run and I continued to drive the car right after them. I knew that if I really wanted to run them over, I could do it in a heartbeat. But what I really wanted was to make them suffer. Amanda fell to her knees and Trent yanked her to her feet hard to keep running. All the while the music continued to blare.

_'-It's such a travesty_  
><em>The way you say our love should be<em>  
><em>Yeah, such a tragedy<em>  
><em>Think you can just break my heart and leave me?<em>

_Well you better ruuun now_  
><em>Man on the run<em>  
><em>Playin' for fun<em>  
><em>Wind me up, leave me undone<em>

_It's such a travesty-'_

"I'M SORRY, TIA!" Trent cried out while still running. The female vocalist crooned in a painful way before there was a short break for instrumental. Amanda fell again, this time taking Trent down along with her.

"I CAN'T-!" she spluttered while clutching at her stomach. "I can't run anymore!" she sobbed.

I put my foot on the break pedal and put the car in park, but left it running so that the music continued to blare and the headlines continued to blind.

_'-These lips are sealed, I'll never speeeak..._  
><em>Your name in loving memoryyy<em>  
><em>So don't you try to make ammennnds<em>  
><em>That's whatcha' get for playin' meeean<em>

_If I were you..._  
><em>I'd dare not speak...<em>  
><em>I'd run like hell...<em>  
><em>In hopes of seein' tomorrow<em>  
><em>(Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow)<em>

_It's such a travesty_  
><em>The way you say our love should be<em>  
><em>Yeah, such a tragedy<em>  
><em>Think you can just break my heart and leave me?<em>

_Well you better ruuun now_  
><em>Man on the run<em>  
><em>Playin' for fun<em>  
><em>Wind me up, leave me undone-'<em> I hopped out of the car as Amanda lay on the ground crying, drooling, out of breath. Trent at her side on his knees, dying for air just the same. I approached them slowly with my shuriken in my hand.

"_Please-!_" Amanda cried, still drooling. How pathetic.

"_I'm sorry, Tia..._" Trent tried again. I stopped a few feet in front of them.

"_Oh, God, no!_" Amanda cried when she saw the weapon in my hands. There was a long trance solo.

"Still want to lie to me now?" I said, trying to keep calm even though I wanted nothing more than to slice them both to pieces.

At first there was silence. "I'm sorry," Trent breathed again. I clenched my fist and brandished my shuriken at him angrily.

"I'm not looking for a fucking apology, Trent! Anything you say means absolutely nothing to me at this point. You've proven that your words are just as hollow as your soul is! All I wanted... all I ever wanted was the Goddamn truth! The truth which you two kept from me, but not anymore. My eyes are open now," I said before spitting on the ground in their direction.

"What do you want from me then, Tia?" Trent demanded, his voice laced with unease. The song continued it's trance solo along with the female vocalist crooning. At that point I actually paused and had to think about that for a moment. What did I want? What had I actually expected from this encounter? Other than the truth of course...

"I want you to stop lying, but I think we all know that's not going to happen anytime soon, so I guess I will settle for you not lying about me anymore. I don't want to be a part of your bullshit an longer. I'll swing by the house to get my stuff tomorrow and I'll be moving out of the apartment," I replied.

"If that's what you want-" Trent started to say.

"Shut up!" I snapped. "You know damn well it doesn't matter what I want. It never has mattered. All that you cared about was what you want. For all these years... all these decades you've neglected me and denied me of anything good. You brainwashed me into believing that I was not worth being happy or feeling satisfaction of any sort. Now I know better. I deserve so much better than you and I finally found that. So instead of blaming you, I guess I should be thanking you," I added smugly. A dirty look crossed Trent's face momentarily.

_'-It's such a travesty_  
><em>The way you say our love should be<em>  
><em>Yeah, such a tragedy<em>  
><em>Think you can just break my heart and leave me?<em>

_Well you better ruuun now_  
><em>Man on the run<em>  
><em>Playin' for fun<em>  
><em>Wind me up, leave me undone<em>

_It's such a travesty.'_ The vocals ended, but the music played on as I stared down the two of them.

"I hope you know how lucky you are that I don't just kill you both," I said before turning on my heels and heading back to the car.

* * *

><p>Later that morning, I was washing dishes when my mind briefly wandered to the night's events. I was snapped back to reality by a sudden sharp pain. A tiny droplet of blood fell into the sink, mingling with the soap suds; I had managed to accidentally cut my finger on a steak knife. With a hiss of pain, I withdrew my hand and went to grab a paper towel to dab at the blood.<p>

"Are you alright?" Gold's voice came from behind me.

"Yeah..." I said as I turned around and glanced at him, slightly surprised by his sudden presence. I felt a little stupid, but I knew to keep pressure on the wound. "It's just a little nick."

"Let me see," he urged with his hand extended. I allowed him to peel back the paper towel to assess the injury. "It's not too bad. You won't need stitches."

"Thank God," I replied.

"Though, if we were back in our Land I could heal this in an instant," he said, gently reapplying pressure on the cut with the paper towel.

"With magic?" I asked and he looked at me, trying to gauge my reaction. "Do you miss it?" I asked, unsure if I was crossing the boundaries of something personal or not.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't," he replied, still smiling, but I could see a kind of longing in his eyes as he spoke. "Amongst other things," he added, somewhat ruefully.

"I, um... I never really got to know you before the Curse that Regina used to destroyed everything and bring us all here was enacted..." I said.

Gold laughed wryly. "Well, I'll let you in on a little secret, dearie. That Curse? Regina didn't make it."

"What do you mean? Where did she get in then?" I asked, taken aback.

"Regina isn't as powerful as she, and everyone else, likes to think she is," he explained. "In all truth, _I_ actually created the Curse for her..."

"But..? _Why?_" I asked, completely dumbfounded. However, he didn't reply. I made a face. "Fine, you don't have to explain. I imagine you have your reasons..." I said as Gold carefully finished bandaging my hand in silence.

"Perhaps if you're lucky, someday I will tell you," he said finally. I looked at him with hopeful eyes and he smiled at my reaction. "Just don't get your hopes up," he added.

I laughed softly. "Oh, believe me, you won't have to worry about that happening. I've had a lot of practice at not getting my hopes up over the many, many years..." I replied.

"While we're on the topic of divulging secrets, care to tell me where you went last night?" Gold slipped into the convo out of nowhere.

My heart faltered. "W-what?" I stammered. He simply stared at me, waiting for me to tell him the truth. His gaze was one that was intimidating and penetrating. I knew the truth, he knew the truth, and he would not even remotely humor my lying to him. I sighed in defeat and looked away. "Okay, fine..."

I bit my lower lip and closed my eyes, gathering the courage to tell him. But whenever I tried, the words would not seem to form. I could feel him growing impatient even though he said nothing. His unwavering brown eyes scrutinizing me said more than enough.

"You do realize that you can tell me anything?" Gold spoke in a tone that was much softer than I had expected. I tentatively glanced at him; his expression also softer than I had imagined. I had an urge to go to him, to feel his embrace. But I knew that now was not the time. I sighed again, due to my anxiety more than anything else.

"Yes... Yes, of course. I just-" I faltered. "I just don't want you to be mad at me."

Gold chuckled, a sound much different than his former self's gleeful cackle, but still a sound that I found pleasing. I looked at him again. "My dear, I don't think you understand how our deal works. Being mad at you is neither here, nor there," he explained and although I was not quite sure what he meant by that, I decided to let it go... for now.

I sucked in a deep breath before speaking all in a rush. "I took your car out last night and followed Trent to the park where I chased him and Amanda across the field-"

"-Chased?" Mr. Gold repeated with an incredulous laugh. "You mean you ran them down?" he corrected.

"How did you-? _You knew?"_ I spluttered. Not sure if I should be embarrassed or perturbed.

"Yes, dearie, of course I knew. However, I wanted to see if you would tell me on your own," he explained.

"So this was just a test?" I asked with a raised brow.

"Yes and no," he replied.

"Well, I told you the truth, so I imagine I passed? ...Right?" I asked with more curiosity than I wanted to admit I had in the matter.

Mr. Gold smiled broadly. "Indeed it would appear you have."

* * *

><p><strong>Please review! Thank you, Dearies! ^_~<strong>

**~Satine~**


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